Eponine and Gavroche: The Lost Years
by RYCBAR24601
Summary: The story takes place in the 9 years between 1823 and 1832 and focuses on Eponine's relationship with Gavroche once the Thenardiers have lost everything.
1. Chapter 1

"Mama" Eponine said quietly in a voice laced with anxiousness.

"What" responded her mother harshly, finances in the tavern were bad and it looked as if they would have to leave and head for the Parisian slums.

"Mama, where is Gavroche?"

"I don't know what you are talking about Eponine, now go, you are in the way"

"Mama, where is Gavroche?" Eponine asked again, louder this time.

"Really Eponine, I don't know what you are talking about and you are starting to get on my nerves, now go away and leave me alone"

Before she could ask again her mother ran off and left Eponine alone with her thoughts. It had been over a week since she saw her brother, ever since her father left with him on a trip to Paris and returned alone. Gavroche was smart but he often would get so entrenched in a thought or idea he would forget what was going on around him, and after all he was only four. He needed her. She tried to think about something else, she went into the corner and played with the rag doll that the girl Cosette had left when she disappeared with a rich man three years ago. Not long after her father walked in the door, slamming it loudly behind him.

"Papa" Eponine said in a loud excited tone as she ran over to him

"What do you want?" he asked gruffly as he looked at the floor besides her, he didn't look at her any more. She longed for a loving embrace from the father that joked around with her as he swindled customers; she longed for her old father back but it seemed that he left along with Cosette.

"Where is Gavroche?"

"Gavroche? I don't know what you mean" he started to walk away, but Eponine was not having any more of this, she needed answers. She stomped her foot and asked again loudly,

"WHERE IS MY BROTHER!?"

Her father turned around then and walked towards her quickly raising his hand, Eponine did not flinch or back away, she stood her ground, she needed to know where her brother had gone. Her father stood in front of her and looked her in the eyes for the first time in weeks before slapping her across the face with a blow so hard it knocked her to the ground and responding with an answer just as loud and powerful, "YOU HAVE NO BROTHER!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Get up, we're going" said Thenardier to Eponine as he grabbed his gun and bag of tools from their new home in the Parisian slums.

"What?" Eponine responded, her father's voice had come unexpectedly and broke through the silence that had previously been occupied by Eponine's thoughts. Although it had been three months since she had been told she did not have a brother the idea of him still relentlessly occupied her mind.

"We've got a job" her father's voice once again pulled her back to her unpleasant reality, "some rich idiot has decided to go to England for a couple of weeks and as left his home full of treasures."

"How do you know this?" Ever since coming to Paris her father had seemed to be finding more and more dishonest ways to put a meal on the table, and Eponine was more frequently becoming a tool in his plots.

"Why does it matter how I know it, I do, now if you know what is good for you, you will get up and get out the door."

The threat sent a shiver fear went down her spine, she knew that her father was being serious but she wasn't going to let him know. She simply shrugged and stood up and walked out the door with her father. In the cold, dimly lit streets Eponine finally had a chance to ask her father some questions without fear of a response in the form of a blow across her face or a kick to her gut. He wouldn't hurt her now, not when a job was minutes away.

"Papa, is Gavroche in Paris?"

"Eponine, stop going on about Gavroche, like I've told you before there is no Gavroche" he said with an impatient sigh.

"But you came with him to Paris, and then you came back without him…did you leave him here."

"There is no Gavroche Eponine"

"THERE IS AN GAVROCHE AND YOU CAME WITH HIM TO PARIS"

"Keep your voice down" her father hissed

"He is in Paris, isn't he?"

Her father didn't respond he just started walking quicker, creating distance between him and his daughter before finally turning around and hissing at her again "keep up girl!"

Once they arrived at the job Eponine stood outside of the gate and kept watch for the law to come by and spoil her father's plan. Nothing happened and as she stood outside of a home that represented everything that Eponine would never have she couldn't help but smile. Her brother was in Paris. Her father hadn't necessarily confirmed her theory but it had to be so. It was the last place she knew that he was going. She often saw bands of boys running around the streets, begging for coins and stealing scraps of food; she was sure that Gavroche would be among them and she was going to find him.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day her father slept late into the morning, drunk off of his success and the liquor it had brought. Eponine snuck out quietly, her mother briefly looked up from whatever mundane task she was doing but did not seem to care. As Eponine entered the streets the sun felt warm on her skin, this _would be a good day_. She headed off towards the public square where most of the boys of the streets congregated during the day; it was the easiest place to find charity from the more fortunate Parisians and the visitors from out of town.

It didn't take her long to find boys running around as if they owned the place. She grabbed the arm of a passing boy who obviously called the street his home and asked him if he knew any Gavroche. The boy turned around expectantly, most likely hoping for some small coin or bit of charity but once he saw that Eponine was not much older than he and no less poor he wriggled out of her grip and ran away. Eponine tried this approach for hours wandering the streets of Paris but the response was always the same.

As it grew darker Eponine was starting to lose hope, she didn't know what to do, it wasn't as if she could go to the police and tell them that she was looking for a lost child. She began pacing aimlessly through the streets that she had covered many times that day. Her feet were starting to ache and the hollowness in her stomach was growing larger than normal. But despite all of this she didn't want to go home, she had told herself that she would find her brother and she wasn't going to go home empty handed.

As she was wandering she saw a group of boys, some of whom looked to be younger than Gavroche and the oldest who seemed to be around Eponine's age. The boys seemed to follow him around as if he were the emperor himself, which seemed appropriate as he did wear an exceptionally large hat. It was unlikely that they knew anything but at this point Eponine was desperate and willing to chase down any lead. As she approached the group 'Napoleon' whispered something to the younger boys and they backed off as he alone approached Eponine.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"My name is Eponine and…"

"I didn't ask you who you were I asked you what you wanted"

"I'm looking for my brother"

"Sorry, I can't help, I don't know anyone who looks like you"

"No wait please" Eponine's voice was full of desperation and something about it made the boy turn around. Seeing that she once again had an audience Eponine continued, "um…his name is Gavroche, he is four, I think he arrived in Paris around three months ago"

"You think?"

"He arrived in Paris three months ago" Eponine said again, trying to sound more sure of herself.

"You don't even know if he is in Paris do you?" asked the boy, giving up on Eponine again.

"No he is here, please I know he is here, he is my brother I just want to make sure he is okay"

"If you care so much then why has it been three months?"

"I…it's complicated…look can you help me or not?" Eponine desperation was starting to turn to annoyance and this Napoleon was not being helpful at all. She decided to try one more time, addressing all the boys this time.

"Please, do you know a Gavroche or not?" One of the boys stepped forward.

"I might know a Gavroche" He mumbled under his breath.


	4. Chapter 4

The boy who stepped forward looked to only be five or six himself. Eponine hurried over to him and got on her knees so she was looking him in the eye. She remembered Gavroche was always more receptive when she spoke to him that way.

"Do you know where my brother is, it is very important that I find him" she asked in a soft voice. The young boy looked up at the leader who has watching the exchange attentively and after a moment nodded his sign of approval. "Where is my brother" Eponine asked again.

"There is a Gavroche who runs with Tyce" the boy replied.

"Where can I find this Tyce?" The boy fell silent at this question, Eponine couldn't tell if it was because he didn't know anything or if he was too scared to say.

"He usually spends his nights in the alley behind the tavern called Chiot de Combat, it is a little less than a mile east of here" said the leader.

"Thank you" Eponine said, as she got up and started to head in the direction of the tavern. As she was running away Napoleon called after her.

"Be careful, Tyce can be rough." She turned around and nodded her thanks and appreciation to the boy before turning around and running faster than she had been before. Her brother was close, she could feel it. As she neared the Chiot de Combat she started calling her brother's name. When she arrived at the alley there was no one to be seen, only piles of empty crates. She continued calling her brother's name until she was practically shouting, "GAVROCHE, GAVROCHE."

A boy a couple years older that her climbed out of the shadows and ran towards her wielding a small knife. "Shut up and get out of here now, you'll upset the innkeeper".

"Tyce?" she questioned. He didn't respond, instead he just lunged at her with the knife, she backed up. "Please I'm just trying to find my brother, his name is Gavroche." She looked around some more, wondering if there were any other boys hidden in the shadows. She heard some rustling and saw a little boy's face for a moment before it was pulled back into the shadows again by what seemed to be protective hands. She recognized the face immediately, it was her brother.

"Gavroche" she yelled, running in his general direction. The boy ran in front of her waving his knife around and more boys immerged from the shadows ready to fight. As much as Eponine wanted to see her brother she knew that this was a fight she could not win, at least not now. She was exhausted from her day's search and she didn't want Gavroche to get hurt.

"I don't want to hurt, anyone I just want to see my brother, Gavroche, Gavroche is my brother." She took a step forward and so did they.

"Please I just want to see him." She pleaded.

"Not a chance" Tyce responded back. Eponine tried to step forward again and the boys responded in part until she was surrounded. Although they were threatening her Eponine could tell that they were just trying to protect each other and was relieved that Gavroche had been taken in by such a loyal group. She realized then that as bad as she wanted to she would not be able to see Gavroche tonight; she needed some time to come up with a plan. As hard as it was she raised her hands in defeat and took a small step backwards. The boys relaxed.

"I'll come back tomorrow," she said.

"No you won't" Tyce responded.

"Yes I will, he is my brother and I will not abandon him and if you don't believe me I will bring something to prove my loyalty." At that Eponine turned and ran off into the night. She had completed her task, she had found her brother. Now she just needed to find a way to be reunited.


	5. Chapter 5

It did not take long for the high that Eponine felt from finding her brother to wear off as panic set in. What had she been thinking saying that she would "prove her loyalty." How on earth could she prove her loyalty to a band of street kids? Her father had taught her that to earn someone's trust you had to give them or make them think you had something that they wanted. But she had nothing and she knew from meeting Tyce that he was someone who would only respond to actual gifts, not simply the promise of such things.

When she arrived home her parents were asleep on their dirty, stained mattress in one corner of their small apartment. On the table were some coins that Eponine had guessed her father had gotten from pawning the goods that he stole from the vacationing rich man help a couple days before. Eponine stood looking at it for a moment; it seemed to be the answer to the questions that she had been asking herself her whole walk home. She knew her father would not react kindly to her taking the money, but didn't she deserve some sort of compensation for her work? Before thinking about it any longer she grabbed two coins worth one franc each before heading off to the pile of rags and blankets that she called her bed.

She woke up as the sunlight pierced through the dirty window panes and ran out of the apartment with the money before her father could notice it was missing. Her first task was to silence the rumbling in her stomach. She used one of the coins to buy a couple loafs of bread and some cheese, and saved the other. She ate bread and cheese until she was full and could not eat anymore. It did not take long and there was still plenty left to win over Gavroche's new friends. When she arrived at Chiot de Combat she feared that the boys had already left for their day of begging. But after looking behind several crates she felt a strong hand on the back of her shirt pulling her away and whipped around to see Tyce standing before her holding his knife.

"Well you're rather attached to that thing aren't you?" Eponine joked, trying to diffuse the situation.

"I thought I told you not to come back here?" said Tyce.

"And I thought I told you that I would come back, besides I brought breakfast" she held up the food.

"Part of it is gone."

"A girl's got to eat, but look there is still plenty to go around."

"Why are you doing this?" Tyce asked, addressing her for the first time as a person and not as an enemy.

"I told you, I just want to see my brother."

"And take him away?"

"That might not be the best idea, I…I just miss him, and I think he misses me."

Tyce looked at Eponine with sad yet understanding eyes, she wondered if he had ever had a brother. Before she got the chance to ask him, he spoke.

"Alright boys, looks like we've got breakfast, come dig in."

Around eight boys climbed out from their hiding places and amongst them she saw Gavroche who paused mid-step when he saw Eponine. She handed the food over to Tyce and walked over to Gavroche and knelt before him.

"Hey Gavroche"

"Ponine?"

"Yes Gavroche it is me" He looked at her, confused for a moment before hitting her with all the strength he could muster. Looking in his eyes Eponine could see all the pain and fear that Gavroche had felt over the past few months. The pain of betrayal and the confusion that came with it, the fear of not knowing what to do and feeling utterly and completely lost. Eponine started to cry for the first time in a year, "I'm so sorry Gav, I'm so sorry, I didn't know where you had gone...where Papa had taken you, but I'm never going to lose you again, I promise." She reached out to him and he walked into her arms and she hugged him close, standing up and carrying him to where the rest of the boys were eating. "You hungry Gav, look I brought you breakfast." He nodded and they went and sat with the others. She spread some cheese on bread and gave it to him and watched blissfully as he ate his fill. Looking at him closely now she could see that the streets had changed him; although he was still little he looked as though he was at least six years old, instead of the innocent four year old Eponine had known back in Montfermeil. He looked well fed, and was wearing clothes that although dirty would keep him warm. He had been well cared for, and he would continue to be, because now she was here and wasn't letting him get lost again.

**I hope you are liking the story so far, thanks to those you have started following the story. This is my first foray in writing and reading fan fiction and I am really excited about where the story is going to go, please leave a review and let me know what you think. **


	6. Chapter 6

"EPONINE" yelled a harsh voice somewhere in the distance, which could only belong to her father.

"Shit" Eponine whispered under her breath.

"Did you lead someone here?" accused Tyce.

"No I swear, I didn't it is just…"

"Papa?" asked Gavroche.

"EPONINE" her father's voice called again.

"No, it's not papa" responded Eponine to Gavroche. For now it was best that her father and mother didn't know she had found Gavroche and that Gavroche forgot about her parents. For some reason they didn't want Gavroche anymore and she didn't want to think about what would happen if they knew Eponine had found him. "Gavroche I have to go, but I will be back very soon."

"Yes, I think that would best" answered Tyce, obviously feeling stressed by the situation but not wanting to alarm the boys. Gavroche looked up at his sister with sad eyes full of a sense of betrayal.

"I promise Gavroche, I promise." As she stood up she kissed Gavroche on his forehead, like her father used to do to her. After she walked over to Tyce, grabbed his arm and dragged him out of sight. This aggression obviously came as a shock to Tyce as he did not have time to fight back and did not say anything until she let go of him.

"Pardon me, what was that for?" He asked, shaking out his arm.

"EPONINE" Her father called again.

"And who is looking for you?"

"It is my father."

"But you told Gavroche…"

"I lied, listen Tyce I obviously don't have much time." She grabbed his hand and pressed the other Franc coin into it holding onto his hand firmly and looking him straight in the eyes as she said "you take care of my little brother you hear, you watch out for him."

"What do you think I have been doing?"

"Of course you're right, thank you, but use that money for the boys, and watch out for Gavroche, he's small."

"He's strong" Tyce retorted back. Eponine smiled.

"I need you to do something for me."

"EPONINE!" Her father was getting closer.

"Hit me." Eponine said.

"What?"

"Hit me… across the face." Tyce stared at her confused. The Eponine who stood before him now was very different from the Eponine that had come begging to see her brother. "DO IT." He raised his fist punched her across the face causing her head to whip to the side. "Nice arm" Eponine gasped, taking a moment to collect herself before running off. As she was running she ran straight into a well-dressed boy of about 14 years who seemed to be whistling.

"Pardon me Monsieur" Eponine said as she walked away. He grabbed her arm while she passed.

"Are you ok?" He questioned, the young man seemed concerned after seeing the state of Eponine's face. Tyce must have done his job well if a mark could already be seen, her cheek sure sung enough.

"Yes I'm fine Monsieur, but I really must be going." He released her arm and she ran off and he walked away in the direction that Eponine had from.

"EPONINE!" She heard again, very close this time. She paused to catch her breath before calling back.

"Papa" A few seconds later her father rounded the corner and called to her.

"There you are darling, I've been looking all over for you."


	7. Chapter 7

Her father grabbed her arm, pulling her in the direction of the apartment, smiling at the passersby who were obviously confused by the events that had just unfolded around them. Once they were a couple of blocks away her father whispered, "don't think I didn't notice the two missing francs." Eponine had expected that the money was the reason he had come hunting for her mid-morning.

"I was just going to get us all some breakfast, I was hungry and thought it might be a nice surprise for you and mama once you got up."

"I'm sure you did." Her father hissed back.

"I did, I promise, even ask the man at the shop, he'll tell you I came in and bought some bread and cheese."

"Breakfast doesn't cost two francs my darling" her father replied quite loudly as some people on the streets looked on with concerned glances. Eponine was sure that her face had a good welt on it by now. Enough time had passed and she could still feel the odd mix of a tingling and throbbing sensation emanating from where Tyce's fist had encountered her face. With all the attention that her injury was getting her father loosened his grip the rest of the walk home. Once they walked in the door her father threw Eponine down on the ground as his wife watched. "Our loving daughter went out to get us some breakfast this morning."

"Did she?" Her mother asked. Eponine looked up and nodded. "Then where's the goods."

"Yeah, where's the food?" her father echoed back.

"It was stolen."

"You expect us to believe that?" asked her mother in a taunting tone.

"Due to the fact that it is true, yes I do." Her father started towards her, such attitude usually brought her a slap or two.

"Wait" her mother said, "I want to hear this."

"Well, like I was telling Papa I got up this morning and you two were still asleep and I was quite hungry so I thought you would like it if I went out and got us breakfast, so I took some money on the table and went out to the store."

"You thought you would take two francs to pay for breakfast?" Her father asked.

"It was still dark when I left and I couldn't quite tell what the coins were and I wanted to make sure I had enough." Eponine tried her hardest to sound as innocent as possible.

"How thoughtful of you" her mother replied. Eponine smiled back before continuing on with her story.

"I wasn't trying to steal, I promise Papa, I would never steal from you. So I took the money down to the shop and bought us a bunch of bread and cheese so we would even have some left for dinner. But when I was leaving and putting the coins away to carry back here a boy came barreling out of nowhere and knocked me down and then another boy grabbed the food and ran off. But I got up and chased after him, some boy wasn't going to beat a Thenardier." Eponine knew her father would like this part.

"But when I finally caught up to them there were even more boys waiting and some of them were very big. They grabbed me, the boys who had stolen the food told them that I had coins so they told me to give them all my money. But I said I couldn't, it was your money, I wasn't going to give them your money. So they punched my face and I fell on the ground. Then they held me and went through my pockets and took the money. I tried to fight back I really did. But by the time I got up they had gone and I didn't see where. And that is when I heard you calling me." Eponine looked up at her parents who were just staring at her. Perhaps she had done it, perhaps they had actually bought her story. She started to cry "I'm sorry I ruined everything". Once she had said it she knew that went too far. Her father slapped her across her injured cheek and Eponine yelped in pain.

"Well now thanks to you we only have enough money for your mother and I to eat."

"Please Papa, I'm hungry, I didn't mean to lose the money."

"You are a liar and a thief Eponine." At this her father smiled, "which is very well but don't you ever try to pull something like this over on us again, we're a team us Thenardiers, if you forget that you are nothing."


	8. Chapter 8

As Eponine fell asleep that night her father's words tormented her.

"You are a liar and thief Eponine" her father had said with pride.

Was she really?

Did she lie? Yes. But it was only to protect herself, and now to protect Gavroche. She was a thief as well. She had helped her father steal countless times, back in Montfermeil as he cheated customers and now in Paris she often played his dutiful watch dog. But back in Montfermeil she hadn't quite understood what she was doing, she thought it was some sort of game. And now what difference did it make, whether or not she helped, her father was going to steal; by helping him she just avoided beatings.

So yes, technically she was a liar and a thief. But she could live with that, she did what she needed to do to survive, and she wasn't really hurting anyone. What Eponine could not be was a Thenardier by anything more than a name. Her father wasn't like Eponine, he was a liar and thief because he was a selfish coward who had been dishonest for so long that he had turned his criminal life into a twisted sport.

Being a Thenardier, a true Thenardier would be worse than anything her father could do to her. He could beat her, force her to help him in his plots, but he could not turn her into him.

After what seemed like hours Eponine finally fell asleep and was woken hours later by her father's foot prodding at her side. She sat up groggily.

"Good morning" she said. Her father simply grunted, "Well what do you want?"

"I want you to go out and get me three francs."

"Why?"

"You owe me a debt Eponine and I expect you to repay it."

"But I only lost two francs."

"And you owe me interest." Eponine did not know what interest meant but knew that asking her father wouldn't help anything.

"How am I supposed to get three francs?"

"I don't care how you get them Eponine, now stop asking me questions, get out of here and get me my money by tomorrow morning."

At this her father walked away. Eponine sat there in shock, had her father just given her permission to be gone for a whole day. Usually an extended absence would end with her father finding her and a harsh punishment and Eponine would gladly accept this vacation. But how on the earth was she supposed to get the three francs when she had sworn to herself that she would not turn into her father. Had he somehow heard her promises last night and come up with a way to under mind them?

"Still here Eponine?" She looked up as she saw her father storming towards her. He grabbed her by the hair, dragging her to the door and throwing her out. "Three francs by tomorrow, you hear?" he repeated before slamming the door in Eponine's face. Eponine stood up, and headed in the direction of Chiot de Combat. She still had to get the three francs she knew, but she had plenty of time to solve the riddle of how to get the money while keeping her promise, Gavroche came first.

When we arrived at the alley it was once again empty, but Eponine had learned that things were not always as they seemed here. "Gavroche" she called, "Gavroche, Tyce." There was no reply. Eponine realized that it was entirely possible that they were just gone for the day but she liked to be thorough. She started looking behind and inside the crates that lined the alley, as she advanced to the fifth set of crates she heard footsteps and a voice behind her speak.

"Have you lost something?" She turned around to see a well-dressed school boy standing before her, after a moment she recognized him as the same boy she had ran into yesterday.

"Yes, I mean no" Eponine mumbled as she started to walk away.

"Tyce has quite an arm doesn't he, why would someone want to be punched anyways." Eponine stopped in her tracks and turned around. How did he know about that.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Courfeyrac" he held out his hand, "and you must be Eponine."


	9. Chapter 9

"Courfeyrac?"

"That's my name, and you are Eponine."

"How do you know that?"

"Well right after you ran into me yesterday I went to see Tyce, like I frequently do. He looked quite confused and told me that a girl named Eponine, who claimed to be Gavroche's sister, had brought breakfast and then asked him to punch her in the face and ran away once someone started calling her name. You can see how he might have been…puzzled."

"Ahhh…yes, well he was quite helpful with the situation I found myself in. Why are you friends…how are you friends with Tyce?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well…you seem to…come from a nice family, go to school, have the things you need…and well Tyce lives in an alley behind a tavern."

"Tyce is my friend because we get along and seem to enjoy each other's company. What situation did you find yourself in? Why did you ask Tyce to hit you?"

"That isn't important."

"I think it is."

"So you have known Tyce for a while then? Is he a good person? My brother is he safe with him?"

"You're trying to change the topic."

"I'm trying to find out the kind of people that my brother has been living with, is there anything that I should know?"

Courfeyrac looked at her, he could see the family resemble between she and Gavroche. They both had dark, big eyes, and were physically very small. Eponine herself looked to be only nine or ten, although spoke like she was twice that age.

"How old are you?" he asked.

"Eleven" she said proudly standing up straighter, "but I'll be twelve next week."

"Is that so?"

"It is" Eponine said defensively, "besides now who is trying to change the topic."

"I'll make you a deal." Eponine viewed Courfeyrac cautiously. From her experience deals were only made by people like her father who wanted something and never planned to give something in return. But Courfeyrac was different than her father, he seemed honest. Courfeyrac continued, "you tell me why you asked Tyce to punch you in the face, and I will tell you what I know about him."

She looked at him a bit longer, looking at his face he didn't seem to have any bad intentions and Eponine was starting to get good at reading people.

"Fine" Eponine said. Courfeyrac held out his hand and Eponine shook it.

"Now Eponine, why did you ask Tyce to hit you."

"I stole from my father in order to buy the food that I gave Tyce for my brother. I thought he would be more forgiving if he thought it had been stolen from me…so I needed some proof."

"And was he more forgiving?"

"More or less." The three francs still weighed heavily on Eponine's mind, but now she had a different job to complete. "Now it is your turn, what do you know about Tyce?"

"Why don't we go for a walk?"

"You told me you would tell me about Tyce."

"And I will, but it is a long story and I fancy a walk, so what do you say?" Eponine nodded and they headed out of the alley.

"Tyce didn't always live on the streets" Courfeyrac started, "I guess not many do, but the transition for him was difficult. Tyce lived quite comfortably; he was the son of a butcher that is how I first met him. I would go with my father to get the roast on the weekends, my father would talk to the butcher, so I talked to his son, Tyce, he was only a year younger than me. Later I recognized him on the streets after school when my father allowed me to 'explore my city' and I found myself spending more and more of my free time with him, he was fun and could always come up with the most creative games."

Eponine smiled at this, "Gavroche likes coming up with games too" she said.

"It is a good skill to have no matter what your position in life." Courfeyrac answered. "But Tyce's position in life soon changed. When he was eight his parents got ill, at the time I didn't quite understand what was happening, but my father stopped going to that butcher's shop and I stopped seeing Tyce on the streets. It wasn't until a month later when I finally did see him out. He seemed different, aged in a way. I could tell he had been crying, he confided in me that he feared that his parents were close to death, he was afraid and the land lord kept coming by demanding rent. He didn't know what to do and he had no family, expect for a brother that was four years old."

Eponine gasped, so Tyce did have a brother, his odd behavior a couple days before suddenly made more sense. Courfeyrac looked at Eponine, she did not realize that she had gasped so audibly. "I'm sorry" she said, "please continue."

"Three months later there was a new family moving into the shop that Tyce's family had owned and I still did not know where he was. That is when I really started spending my 'explore the city' free time, exploring the city, looking for my friend, I missed his games. It was selfish of me really, I don't know if I cared about him, or cared that I was lonely without his company. After a couple months I stopped looking and it wasn't until nearly a year later when I actually saw him again. He was living on the streets alone; although many boys would follow him around, he ignored their attention in what seemed like a cruel way to me at the time. It wasn't until he shared things with me a couple of years later that I finally understood. A week after Tyce had shared his fears with me his parents did die. It turned out that they had nothing so they had a pauper's funeral and only a week after that we was out on the streets with his brother. They fended well enough for a couple of months, begging, stealing when needed, they were a team his brother and him. But then his brother who was only five at the time got sick. Tyce did everything in his power to help him, he tried to take him to the hospital but they wouldn't see two street urchins. A week later his brother died. Tyce had lost everyone in his family to illness. This happened two weeks before I found him living on the streets, and avoiding the younger boys. He never said so but I think they reminded him too much of his brother. Eventually he came to care for them; he specifically seems to looks out for the littlest ones who seems weakest and adopts them one could say. They all look out for each other, they have rescued and been rescued and are extremely protective."

"Is that how my brother came to be with Tyce?" Eponine asked.

"I actually found your brother" Courfeyrac said.

"Really?" Eponine was surprised.

"I was walking around eating some lunch one day when I saw a little boy sitting on the side of the street and I asked him if he was lost. He looked up at me, well not so much looking at me but at the baguette in my hand so I broke him off a piece and asked him again if he was lost. He said that he was waiting for is papa and didn't know where he was. He said that he had been waiting for two days. I asked him if he wanted to wait with me and some friends and so I brought him to Tyce. I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do, I didn't want to separate him from his father but he seemed like he needed some looking after."

Eponine shuttered at the idea of her brother sitting and waiting for his father to return and she hated her father for it.

"You did the right thing; my father was never coming back for Gavroche. I don't think he ever wanted a son, and things were changing. When he had the opportunity to throw Gavroche out he took it."

Courfeyrac looked at Eponine. He could not imagine a father who would simply get sick of his son and decide to leave him to live on the streets, and worried for anyone who would have to live with someone like that. But before he had a chance to voice his concerns Eponine spoke again, "Thank you, thank you so much."


	10. Chapter 10

"Speaking of Gavroche" Courfeyrac said, "this seems like a nice place for us to end our walk."

Eponine looked at him confused before she realized that they were in the town square where so many of the street boys spent their days. Perhaps Gavroche had been here that day she came looking for him. "Where is he?" she asked.

"Gavroche?" Courfeyrac answered.

Eponine gave him an exasperated look before responding sarcastically, "Yes, Gavroche."

"He usually spends his time over there" he pointed to a wide road bordering the other end of the square.

"For some reason he likes the carriage traffic." Eponine made her way over to the road that Courfeyrac had pointed out and after several minutes she saw a small form with a head of unkempt hair darting between the carriages, popping his head in occasionally asking for a coin or two. Eponine stood watching him for a while before making her way over to him and tapping him on the shoulder. He whipped around quite defensively, her innocent brother had obviously had to change in his months on the streets, she just hoped not too much.

"Hey Gavroche" she said.

"Eponine" Gavroche said, in a tone that Eponine had a hard time placing. He was certainly surprised to see his sister and slightly disappointed that she had interrupted his process.

"Courfeyrac!" she heard Gavroche call as he grabbed her hand and started walking in the direction that she had come from. Gavroche was surprisingly strong and as Eponine turned around she saw that Courfeyrac had been standing watching the whole thing. Once Gavroche had dragged Eponine over to where Courfeyrac was standing he said, "Courfeyrac, this is my sister Eponine."

"Yes, we've met." Courfeyrac answered.

"What?" Gavroche said sounding slightly concerned and confused.

"I went looking for you this morning at Chiot de Combat, and found Courfeyrac instead." Eponine answered

"Oh" said Gavroche, this response seeming to be enough for him. He stood looking at Eponine and Courfeyrac for a couple moments before sighing and saying, "well if there isn't anything else I'm going to go." As he turned and started to walk away Eponine found herself disappointed. She had worked so hard to get herself to Gavroche, to find him and make sure he was okay, but he seemed to have found a new family and things to occupy his time.

Just as Gavroche had almost disappeared among the carriages again Courfeyrac called after him, "Hey 'Roche, you don't think we forgot your birthday did you?" At this Gavroche turned around and beamed before running back to them. At the mention of Gavroche's birthday Eponine's felt blown back by embarrassment and guilt, how had she forgotten Gavroche's birthday when she had been talking about her own birthday not long before? She remembered when Gavroche was born she was so excited to have a little brother; she thought that he was a birthday present for her. Back then her parents loved pleasing her and were more than happy to go along with this fantasy; things had changed a lot since then.

When Gavroche ran back to Eponine and Courfeyrac and directed his attention towards Eponine. She smiled at him before responding, "of course, how could I forget your birthday?"

At that Courfeyrac handed a five franc piece over to Gavroche, "Happy Birthday, have fun."

"Five Francs!" Gavroche replied. Eponine agreed with his surprise and with it felt a pang of jealously. The three francs that she owed her father still weighed on her mind, and that five francs could be the answer to her problem. She forced this thought out of her mind, no the five francs was for Gavroche, it was his day.

"Five francs for a fifth birthday, I thought it seemed appropriate." At this Gavroche nodded, looking down at the money in his hands; after some time Eponine elbowed him, although she was jealous of the money that Gavroche had gotten, she wasn't going to let her brother forget his manners.

"Oh, thank you."

"You're welcome. Well, I've got to get going."

"But it is my birthday."

"And if I am not home soon my father is going to start wondering where I am, but you have a good day with your sister, take some time off, give the carriages a rest for the day."

"Will do." Gavroche said.

"It was nice to meet you Eponine, I'm sure I'll see you around again"

"It was nice to meet you as well Monsieur."

At this Courfeyrac turned and walked away, and after a moment he put his hand in his pocket and pulled a small object out and threw it Eponine's way. She put out her hand and caught it, opening up her fist she looked down and saw a five franc piece.

"In case I don't see you again before your birthday," Courfeyrac called back after her.

"Thank you Monsieur" she called in response. At this Courfeyrac turned and walked out of sight. Eponine shifted her attention back to Gavroche and asked, "So Gavroche, how do you want to spend your birthday?"

"Well I was actually going to go and meet the boys down by the river, they said they have a surprise for me."

"Well that sounds like a good time." Eponine said. After a few awkward moments Gavroche just looked at her and Eponine realized that Gavroche did not intend for Eponine to come along with him. "Can I walk you there at least?" She asked, hoping for some sort of consolidation prize.

Gavroche smiled, "sure" he said. Perhaps he actually did miss her. Eponine was just realizing it would take some time for him to trust her again, but she would get there, she was confident. As they walked to the river Eponine tried to get some sense of Gavroche's life since she last saw him. He did really love the boys that he lived with, it seemed that they all cared for each other, none of them ever went hungry. He seemed to be particularly close to Courfeyrac, who Gavroche said sometimes called him his younger brother. Eponine didn't know whether to be touched by this or betrayed, she didn't want anyone to take her place, but she was glad to see that others had come to care about Gavroche as much as she did. Once she got to the river she saw a group of boys and recognized Tyce standing among them.

Gavroche turned to Eponine, "thanks for the walk Eponine, will I see you tomorrow?"

"I hope so." Eponine said, "Happy Birthday, have a good night."

"Ok" Gavroche said, and at that he turned and ran off to the rest of the boys. Eponine stood and watched him until she was sure that he was with them and safe; even though she knew by now that he could take care of himself. Tyce looked up and waved at her and she waved back before turning around and beginning to walk away.

"Eponine!" she heard an out of breath voice call from behind her. She turned around to see Tyce jogging to catch up with her. "Leaving so soon?"

"Yeah" Eponine sighed, "you know, places to go."

"Why don't you stay?" he asked, "celebrate Gavroche's birthday with us."

"Nah" Eponine replied "he seemed really excited to be spending it with you guys."

Tyce looked at her for a moment.

"He's glad you're back." He said.

"What?"

"Gavroche, he is glad that you are back, a little confused perhaps, but mostly glad."

"I didn't…" Eponine started before Tyce interrupted her again.

"I know Gavroche can be a little hard to read sometimes, he doesn't really show is true feelings straight off, I thought you would like to know."

"I know" Eponine replied defensively.

"Okay, good." Tyce stood there for a moment longer.

He seemed oddly unsure of himself, standing in front of her without a knife as a distraction or for protection, although Eponine was sure it was hidden somewhere. She wondered if she should say something about his brother, say how sorry she felt, and how grateful she was that he had adopted Gavroche into his group. But instead she just said, "The boys will be wondering where you've gone."

"Yeah I really should be getting back." Eponine's voice seeming to snap Tyce back into the moment, "will you be back tomorrow?" he asked.

"I'll try."

"Okay good, that's good, it is good for Gavroche that you keep coming back." He turned to leave before turning back again, "stay warm."

"Huh?" Eponine hadn't quite heard what he had said.

"Stay warm, it is going to be a cold night tonight, I can tell."

"Will you and the boys be alright?"

"Oh yeah we'll be fine, we always manage, see you around Eponine." Just as she had done with her brother she waited to watch Tyce return to the group of boys before turning and heading for home. If it was going to be a cold night as Tyce at said it was best she spent it indoors, she had already gotten the three francs her father had wanted, plus some.

As she neared the front door to her apartment she could hear the voices of multiple men speaking with her father who they seemed to be treating as their leader. He screamed at them obviously not pleased about something that they had done. Eponine did not realize that her father had friends, or more a gang from the sound of it. But whoever they were and whatever was going on it sounded like something that best not be interrupted by Eponine so she decided to wait in the hall. She didn't have to wait for long, because after only five minutes the door to her apartment flung open. Out of surprise she jumped up and pressed herself against the wall as three large men and one man who looked to be quite a bit younger passed by her. The last and youngest paused for a moment and looked Eponine up and down, she only looked at him for a moment before deflecting her glance to the ground. Although the young man seemed to be only Tyce or Courfeyrac's age something about him made Eponine feel ashamed. After what felt like ages the young man yelled back in the direction of her apartment, "Thenardier, your brat is home," before sauntering off again with the rest of the gang.


	11. Chapter 11

Eponine's father stuck his head out of the door and saw Eponine still standing stuck against the wall. "Well what are you doing there?" he barked.

"What?" Eponine said, still confused by the rapid series of events that had just occurred.

"What are you standing there for, get in here."

Her father's second demand barked in a gruff voice seemed to snap Eponine back to reality. She hurried inside the apartment; the minute she crossed the threshold her father grabbed her arm and swung her around so she was facing him. "Have you got it?" Thenardier slurred. Eponine could smell the alcohol on his breath stronger than she could ever remember in the past.

"Got what?" Eponine asked.

"The money you daft girl," her father seemed to sway a bit as he said this, gripping her arm even tighter, using her as a sort of anchor. Eponine reached into her pocket to retrieve the five franc piece. She knew it was more than her father asked for, but perhaps it would buy her some time off. She held out the five francs to her father and he blinked for a moment, before grabbing it out of Eponine's hand and inspecting it, all without ever loosening his grip on Eponine's arm.

"This is five francs" he spit out.

"I know." Eponine said.

"Don't you be smart with me, I asked you for three francs."

"And I got you five, I thought you would like it better." At this her father slapped her. She would have fallen down but her father still had her in his grip. Eponine didn't understand, usually she was punished because she didn't do what she was told, or gave too much attitude, but now she was being punished for doing too good of a job?

"And how did you get these five francs?" Her father asked as he pulled her back up to look her in the face.

"I don't know." Eponine responded.

"YOU DON'T KNOW?" Her father screamed back, Eponine felt genuinely afraid.

"It was…simple charity" Eponine responded in a small voice.

"Simple charity?" Her father asked, his face turning red. "Simple charity?" he repeated again, louder this time.

"Yes" Eponine whispered. At this affirmation her father finally released his grip on Eponine as he threw her across the scantly furnished room. She landed with a hard thud and looked up to see her father pounding towards her screaming, "SIMPLE CHARITY, NO ART, NO CRAFT, NO WORK, JUST SIMPLE CHARITY?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you…" But before Eponine could finish her sentence her father's boot found her stomach and she felt all the air being forced out of her lungs. She lay there gasping as her father asked, "Do you know what I was doing tonight, while you were getting your simple charity?" Eponine was still out of breath and unable to respond so her father yelled again, "Well do you?"

"No" Eponine wheezed.

"I was out on a job" he father replied. His anger seemed to be sobering him up as he spoke more clearly now, "A job, a real job, one that requires, planning and skill and cunning, not simple charity." He spoke the words 'simple charity' as though they were dirty and as they left his mouth he kicked Eponine again in the leg this time. "Charity which comes from deception is fine" he replied, "it requires skill, but simple charity" he spit the words out again and with them his boot hit Eponine again, "simple charity comes from people who pity you, who think they are better than you." Her father reached down and picked her off the floor, holding her by the shoulders so that she was at eye level with him and her feet dangled off the ground. Once he was sure that his eyes had bore into her slightly broken soul he said, "and you Eponine, you are a Thenardier, is anyone better than you?" Eponine hung in the air silent. "ANSWER ME GIRL"

"No" Eponine replied feebly.

"Good girl" he father replied as he set her back on the ground.

"Why don't you just let me go?" Eponine asked after a significant amount of silence.

"What?" He father replied, not so much angry but shocked by the bluntness of his daughter's question.

"Why don't you just let me go? You let Gavroche go? Why won't you let me go?"

"You ungrateful little bitch" her father spit out, but he didn't advance towards her to hit her again.

"You wouldn't even care if I was gone." Eponine replied back with just as much spite as her father had just thrown her way.

"You have a duty to this family Eponine, I gave you life, and you owe me a debt and you will repay it."

"For how long do I have to repay it, how long do I have to stay here?"

"Forever Eponine, you are with us forever."

"Then why wasn't Gavroche?"

"Gavroche" her father spit into the ground. "He was dirty and cried and ate too much, all the time wanting more." It was the first time that her father had acknowledged Gavroche's existence since that day he returned from Paris alone.

"But Gavroche is a Thenardier."

At this her father charged towards her and punched Eponine with his left hand where he still proudly wore a large metal ring. Eponine fell backwards and could feel warm liquid running down her cheek. She looked up at her father as he said "We are Thenardiers, me you and your mother, that boy Gavroche, wherever he is, is not." Her father's eyes seemed empty except for when he said the word Thenardier and his eyes glinted with pride.

Through her pain Eponine remembered when her father's eyes always looked that way. Happy and proud of the life he had, a wife, a daughter, and a successful enough inn. Gavroche didn't come until after the inn had started to fail and the family begun sliding into poverty. By the time Gavroche could walk that look was gone from her father's eyes and all that was left was the dull and so very frequently angry eyes that looked down at Eponine now.

"You are never the speak of that boy again, you are never to think of him, do you understand?" Her father asked once he had somewhat composed himself.

"Yes" Eponine replied.

"Yes, what" her father asked.

Eponine paused a moment before clearly saying, "yes, I will never speak or think of Gavroche", her father glared at her, "or think of…that boy, again."


	12. Chapter 12

Thenardier huffed and walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat cradling his head in his arms. Eponine lay crumpled in the same position her father left her in. She had been hit before but never beaten like that, never felt herself changing out of self-defense, lying and whimpering, praying for it to end. She wondered if that is what Gavroche had to go through with her father when Eponine wasn't looking. She prayed it wasn't, she had never seen her father so angry and drunk at the same time, and she was convinced that the men Eponine had seen leaving the apartment had something to do with his current state.

Regardless of what she had told her father Eponine felt had to go and see Gavroche. She watched her father for hours but he did not move, he still sat slumped in the same position. She could not see his eyes but she assumed he was asleep and got up to leave the apartment.

She tried to leave as quietly as she possibly could but it was difficult, everything was sore and her leg hurt from where her father had kicked her causing her to limp slightly. As she opened the door her father sat up abruptly.

"Where do you think you are going?" He barked.

"I wanted some air and thought I would go for a walk."

"Be back by tomorrow evening, I've got another job and you're on the team."

"Yes papa" Eponine said obediently.

"Maybe the stupid lot will do their jobs this time" Eponine heard her father mumble under his breath as she closed the door.

Eponine shuffled through the Parisian streets, shivering slightly. The night was cold and she felt disoriented from the pain. The streets seemed longer than Eponine remembered them and the cobbles seemed to jut out unevenly as if their only purpose was to trip Eponine and slow her in her travels. Eventually she made it to the crate filled alley where she knew Gavroche spent his nights.

"Gavroche" she called, wincing slightly, breathing too deeply and talking too loudly still hurt her. She saw a head dart up from behind the crates, it was too big to be Gavroche's and after a moment she recognized Tyce.

"God Tyce, do you ever sleep?" Eponine asked.

"Sometimes" Tyce retorted, climbing out from behind the crate.

"I've come to see my brother." Eponine sighed.

"You've come to see Gavroche, how very unexpected, I thought you came to see me." He said as he and started walking towards her.

"Please Tyce, can you just wake him up." Eponine said again.

"Why what's so urgent?"

"It's just…"

"Oh my God Eponine, what happened to you?" Tyce interrupted, once he was close enough to see Eponine's face clearly.

Eponine lifted her hand to her cheek which was now covered in dry blood. "Oh that, it's nothing."

"No" Tyce replied, "No it's not nothing" he repeated as he walked more quickly to where she was standing so that he could get a good look at her. "Who did this to you?"

"I've come to see Gavroche." Eponine repeated again.

Tyce looked at her bewildered. "Let's at least get you cleaned up," he said, "You don't want Gavroche seeing you like that do you?"

"Fine" Eponine replied.

Tyce darted back to the crate he came from and grabbed a couple of rags and ran back to Eponine, he dragged up an smaller empty crate to where Eponine was standing.

"Here" he said, "sit down." She did, shivering a bit more. Tyce ran back to his crate and grabbed what looked to be a large man's trench coat. "Here, put it on." Eponine pulled her small frame into the large jacket and felt it engulf her. She felt a bit like she was drowning in beige fabric but at the same time she was glad to be warm. "I'll be right back" Tyce said, "don't go anywhere."

"Where would I go?" Eponine asked.

"I don't know, just…I'll be right back." Tyce ran out of the alley with the rags in his hands. Eponine closed her eyes, her ears were ringing and the walk had tired her. After a moment the sound in her head quieted and she looked around at her brother's home. Light spilled into the alley in patches from the windows of the bordering tavern. The crates where pilled in what seemed to be an ordered manner, pulled out from the stone wall of the opposite building by about three feet. She tried to remember if there was that much space between them when she came this morning, she couldn't recall when she heard feet running on the pavement in her direction.

"I'm back." Tyce called as he kneeled in front of her. Holding what Eponine could now see where two wet rags. "May I?" Tyce asked. Eponine nodded. He supported her head with one hand and with the other started wiping away the blood from her face.

Eponine winced, her whole right cheek throbbed down to the bone and Tyce's rag wasn't helping any. "I'm sorry" Tyce said.

"It's not your fault" Eponine responded.

"Whose fault is it, who did this to you?" Tyce asked again.

"I don't want to talk about it right now."

"Was it your father?" Eponine just looked down and let Tyce continue cleaning her face, he took her silence as affirmation. "You don't have to go back there." He said.

"Yes I do."

"Why?" Tyce asked.

"Because he is my father, plus where would I go?"

"With us." Tyce responded as if it were the only logical answer.

"What?" Eponine was astounded by this offer.

Tyce put down the rag and took her hands and looked her in the eyes pleading, "Stay here with us Eponine, I'm starting to think the boys could use a girl around."

"I couldn't" Eponine replied.

"Just think about it…please."

"Fine" Eponine said, Tyce smiled, "but just to shut you up."

"Good" Tyce said as he picked back up the rag and started work on Eponine's face again.

"Just about done" Tyce said after a few more moments. "I just need to make sure the cut is clean, this could hurt."

Eponine winced, "I'm sorry" Tyce said.

"So Tyce, what was Gavroche's birthday surprise?" Eponine asked, trying to take her mind off the pain.

"What?"

"Gavroche said you and the boys had a surprise planned, what was it?"

"Ohh…the boys and I pooled our money and got some wine."

"You got him some wine?" Eponine asked.

"Yes, so you know, we could have some fun, do you want some I think we might have some left over, it could do you some good." Eponine stood up.

"Ok, well I guess I could be done now." Tyce said confused.

"Gavroche is five, what does he need with wine and fun?" Eponine asked angrily.

"We all need a bit of fun sometimes Eponine."

Eponine just sighed and looked at him. "Is my brother drunk?" she asked. Tyce just looked at her, "is he?" she asked again, louder this time, not caring how much it hurt her.

"Perhaps a little bit."

"You got my brother drunk off of wine for his fifth birthday?"

"He didn't drink that much."

"He didn't have to, he is five, I knew there was something that seemed wrong about you."

"Please Eponine calm down" Tyce walked towards her and placing his hands gently on her sides, trying to steady her. Eponine winced and pulled back. Tyce looked at her concerned, "what else did he do to you Eponine?"

"Nothing I'm fine."

"No you're not, I thought I saw you limping when you arrived, did he do that to you too?"

"I'm fine…enough, I look fine don't I, presentable enough for my brother?"

"Yes, you look fine, but maybe you should wait until the morning." Tyce suggested.

"Why, do I need to wait until he's sobered up?" Eponine jeered.

"I think it would just be best if you waited until you've calmed down." Tyce replied

"Don't tell me to calm down."

"I'm sorry, until you've had a chance to rest, Gavroche will still be here in the morning."

"Fine" Eponine said as she turned to walk away.

"Stay here." Tyce called.

"I told you I wouldn't."

"Not for good, just for the night, you'll be able to see Gavroche earlier that way."

Eponine looked at him, "fine she said, but only to shut you up."


	13. Chapter 13

As Eponine opened her eyes the next morning she was greeted by a field of eyes and as her own eyes focused she saw that they belonged to small, unfamiliar dirty faces. At first she thought it was a dream, there could not be such a strange sight in real life but slowly she realized it wasn't a dream, this was her life. The events of the past day came rushing back to her, her father had beaten her, and then she had left to find Gavroche. Gavroche, she still hadn't seen him yet, and wasn't that the whole reason she was in this position. She sat up suddenly, eager to be on with her mission, besides the crowd of boys were making her nervous.

"Hey boys, back off, give her some room." Tyce called. The mob started to part as Tyce made his way through and held his hand out to Eponine and pulled her up. "Feeling better this morning?"

"Yes, thank you, I'm sorry I didn't mean to put you out."

"Not a problem, I may be homeless, but I haven't lost all my manners." Tyce had given Eponine his spot, which was complete with an old mattress that had been salvaged one day and with Tyce's jacket Eponine had slept better than she had in weeks.

"Where's Gavroche?" Eponine asked.

"He just ran out to get us a bit of breakfast."

"You said he'd be here when I got up." Eponine retorted defensively

"I tried to tell him that, and to let one of the other boys go, but he insisted."

"Oh." Eponine responded.

"You may not realize it, but your brother can be very stubborn." Tyce replied. Eponine didn't know that about Gavroche, but it did not surprise her, it seemed like everyone it her family was. She wondered what else she didn't know about him. She had been away from him for what seemed like ages and he was just getting to be the age where one starts to show distinct personality traits, she could see it in the boys around her.

"I'm back" she heard Gavroche call as he ran up to the group with two baguettes. The boys all ran to Gavroche, hungry and excited for the day to begin. Eponine hung back, she wanted to see her brother alone, not when they were being watching by all of his friends. She didn't want him to feel pressured, she just wanted him. Tyce hung back with her.

"Aren't you hungry too?" Eponine asked Tyce.

"I'm fine, and I'm sure there will be some left over for me."

"How do you always happen to have enough food?"

"Well we bring in enough money, and the baker likes me so he usually helps to feed us." Tyce replied.

"Was he a friend of your father?"

Tyce looked at her confounded before asking "How do you know about my father?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry, it is just Courfeyrac told me."

"Courfeyrac shouldn't be telling people things that aren't his to tell." Tyce said harshly through clenched teeth.

"I know, and I'm sorry but…"

Tyce interrupted her before she could finish, "I'm sure you are anxious to see Gavroche, as he is to see you."

"Yes." Eponine said slowly after a slight pause.

"Gavroche!" Tyce called, her brother looked up, "come over here please and bring some of that bread for your sister."

"Eponine!" Gavroche called. "Tyce said that you had come back."

"Of course, I told you I would, didn't I?"

Gavroche flashed his smile for just a moment before a concerned look overcame his face, "You're hurt, what happened to your face?"

"Nothing, Gavroche, it doesn't matter." Gavroche stared up at her with a doubtful look etched upon his face. It seemed as though Gavroche, like Eponine was getting good at reading people. "But I did want to talk to you."

Gavroche looked up at Tyce, who seemed to respond instantaneously, "Yes that sounds like a good idea, why don't you two go for a walk."

"Tyce" Eponine said.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?"

"Yes, I'll see you around later Tyce?" Eponine asked hopefully.

"Yeah maybe" Tyce said as he walked away, obviously still upset about Eponine's now apparent knowledge of his past.

Gavroche handed Eponine the bread, "what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Just about how you have been, how are you feeling are you feeling okay this morning?" Eponine remembered how Tyce had gotten Gavroche drunk and all of sudden she didn't feel so guilty.

"Yeah, why?" Gavroche replied.

"Tyce told me about your party last night…how you had some wine."

"Oh yeah, I didn't like it that much, it tasted funny and some of the boys got kind of sick."

Eponine smiled, perhaps Tyce had done her a favor after all, by turning her brother off of alcohol at a young age. She had seen had it seen what it could do to the men of her family and, as much as she hated to think about it she worried some times that Gavroche would become like her father. But Gavroche was good, kind and loyal, and now thanks to Tyce had a dislike of alcohol. It seemed like Tyce had been doing her a lot of favors recently. She smiled, almost giddily.

"You look funny."

"Do I?" Eponine asked, "not as funny as you look" she responded in jest as she took a bite of bread.

"Yeah you do, Tyce looks funny sometimes too."

"What, when he drinks the wine?" Eponine asked, still trying to learn more about the people that her brother was staying with.

"No, Tyce doesn't really drink wine, but he looks funny sometimes, he has been talking me frequently as of late."

"He has been talking to you frequently as of late?" Eponine repeated. "About what exactly, and where did you learn to talk like that?"

"A lot of people in the carriages talk like that, I like how the carriage people talk, and we have been talking about you."

"About me?" Eponine was surprised.

"Yeah, he keeps asking about you, I told him about the one time we build a whole town out of sticks in the dirt behind the inn."

Eponine smiled, and was glad that Gavroche could still remember some good times.

"Mama wasn't very happy about how dirty we had gotten was she?"

"No" Gavroche laughed. "You looked all funny wrinkled once you got out of the bath."

"I felt like a prune, and was so cold." Eponine replied, smiling as she remembered one of the last happy days she had at the inn.

Gavroche laughed. Eponine looked down at her brother, she had found him, he had gotten him back, and he seemed happy about it. But she still had a job to do. She paused, and put a hand on Gavroche's arm. He looked up at her expectantly.

"Eponine, are you alright?"

"Gavroche I need to ask you a question."

"What is it?"

She sighed and got down on her knees, looking Gavroche in the eye. "Gavroche, has any one ever hurt you?"

"No of course not, Tyce is really nice to us, and me and the boys we protect each other."

"I'm glad, that is good Gavroche, but I don't mean Tyce and the boys, I mean has anyone else, ever hurt you." Eponine asked again.

"No." Gavroche answered.

"Papa, never hurt you?"

"No, he yelled some times, but…"

"You don't have to lie to me Gavroche, you can tell me I won't be angry I promise."

"No Eponine" Gavroche repeated again, more firmly this time, upset by Eponine's interrogation.

"That is good, okay, so where do you want to walk to?"

"My favorite place to go is Place de la Bastille"

"Ok" Eponine said in a more cheery tone, "let's go there."

"Eponine?" Gavroche said.

"Yes Gavroche."

"Did Papa ever hurt you?"

Eponine sighed, she had just told Gavroche not to lie to her and she would not lie to him. "Only sometimes, but it is ok, come on we have an adventure to have."

Eponine kneeled down, this was another game she and Gavroche used to play. She would kneel down and he would climb on her back and they would go on adventures.

"I can walk myself." Gavroche said. "I'm five now."

"And so you are." Eponine responded. "So adventures on foot" she said as she stood up. "On to Place de la Bastille"

"On to la Bastille" Gavroche responded as he took her hand.


	14. Chapter 14

As they approached the square Eponine saw a large plaster form peeking out from above the shorter buildings before it. Gavroche's grip on her hand tightened as he picked up their pace, "come up Eponine we are almost there." he said eagerly.

"Oh… I see why this is your favorite place." Eponine responded as Gavroche dragged her along, faster and faster.

"The Elephant" Gavroche said when he finally stopped before it, looking up in awe. "Are real elephants that big?" Gavroche asked.

"I don't know, what do you think?"

"Probably not." answered Gavroche.

"And why is that?"

"Well it would be funny if an animal was high than a building."

Eponine laughed. "You're probably right."

"Why is the elephant here Eponine?"

"Well aren't you full of questions."

"But why is it here?"

"I don't know, it was something to do with Napoleon I think."

"Who is Napoleon?"

"He was a small man with big dreams, he fought many battles and made too many men die for him, he used to be the emperor."

"Did he make men die for him because he was little?"

"I'm not sure…"

"Because he shouldn't do that, he doesn't have to." Gavroche said adamantly.

"What do you mean?"

"Little people can fight just as good as big people, and you have to fight for yourself, and defend yourself."

"Who told you that?"

"Tyce did."

"Did he?" Eponine didn't like the idea of someone telling her brother to fight.

"Yup, Tyce says that little people, like us, look like we are easy pickings, but we've got some fight and we must not give up, it's like the tavern."

"The tavern?" Eponine was confused by his sudden change of topic.

"Yes, Chiot de Combat, where I live."

"Ahh yes, the Fighting Puppy, but remember Gavroche puppies grow up into dogs, great big strong dogs, so pick your fights wisely. You may be able to fight, but other people are bigger than you and you can't do anything about that for now. But wait until you grow up Gavroche, they'll run for cover then."

Gavroche stood a little straighter at the sound of this, "so just don't go picking fights ok?" Eponine asked.

"Ok, so Napoleon what happened to him?"

"What?" Eponine had forgotten what she was talking about.

"Napoleon, the Emperor? What happened to him?"

"Oh…He lost a fight, and then had to go away."

"Where is he now?"

"He died."

"Oh." Gavroche seemed disappointed.

"Maybe you will be the next emperor of France, would you like that?" Eponine asked, trying to cheer him up.

"Yes, I could make a whole city of elephants, an elephant for every person. And I wouldn't make anyone die for me."

"I think that sounds like a fantastic plan." Eponine replied and Gavroche smiled proudly. "I have something else I want to show you, are you ready for another adventure?" she asked.

"Where to?" replied Gavroche.

"I know where to find you, I want to show you where to find me."

As they approached the street with her apartment Eponine slowed.

"Is this where you live?" Gavroche asked.

"Just a little further up, only we have to be careful not to be seen."

"Why?"

Eponine looked around and saw a cart parked precariously across the street from her apartment. "It is a game, do you see that cart over there?" Gavroche nodded. "Let's go hide behind it, pretend like there are monsters in the windows across the street and they will hurt you if they see you." Gavroche smiled, he loved making up games with Eponine, Eponine smiled back, hoping Gavroche wouldn't have to realize that the game was closer to reality than she would like to admit.

Once they made it to the cart Gavroche looked at Eponine, "what is the next part of the game?" he asked.

"The next part of the game is show and tell…plus a challenge. Do you see that window up there?" Eponine pointed to her apartment and waited for Gavroche to acknowledge her. "That is where I live."

"Is that the show part?"

"Yes." Eponine replied, "you see it?"

"Yes, but what is the challenge?" Gavroche asked impatiently.

"You have to get my attention, and I am up there, what do you do?"

"I would go and get you."

"No Gavroche" Eponine said harshly. "No, you must not go up there, plus that would not be a hard challenge, how else can you get my attention?" Gavroche looked around for a couple moments.

"Could we have a code, could that be part of it?" Gavroche asked.

"Yes, a code could be part of it."

"Then I would bang on that pipe over there three times." Eponine looked behind her and saw a broken pipe protruding out of the wall a couple feet down, she had never noticed it before.

"That sounds like a great challenge solution, so Gavroche whenever you need me or can't find me, you come and bang on that pipe three times and hide and then I will come find you. But remember the most important rule, don't come up to find me, I will find you, do you understand?"

Gavroche nodded.

"Good" Eponine said.

When Eponine looked back towards her apartment she saw the four men from the previous night enter the building. She remembered her father's orders to be back by tomorrow evening and was all of a sudden very aware of the sun's lowering position in the sky.

"Gavroche, I need you to go back to Tyce now."

"Why?"

"It is getting late, and I am getting tired and need my rest and so do you."

"But…"

"Gavroche there is time for fun and there is time for rest, now we have had our fun and now we must rest."

"But it isn't even dark out."

"But it will be soon, and I don't want you to get lost, come one I will take you back, we can run, it will be like a race."

"Ok…" Gavroche responded.

"Come on" Eponine said as she started to run off "follow me."

When they returned to the alley the boys were gone but Tyce sat there waiting, "Gavroche, Eponine, did you have a nice day?"

"Yes, we went to the elephant" Gavroche said "and Eponine told me about Napoleon."

"Really" Tyce said, looking down at Gavroche and flashing Eponine a smile.

"Bye Gavroche, see you later." Eponine said as she turned to run off.

"Leaving so soon?" Tyce asked.

"Yes, I need to get home."

"Stay and have dinner with us."

"I really can't, I need to get going."

"If this is about how I acted earlier I'm sorry, I was just upset."

"It's not, but I really must be going." Eponine took off Tyce's jacket, which she had been wearing all day and handed it back to him.

"Keep it, it suits you."

"I couldn't explain it back home, just take it back."

"Fine, I'll hold on to it for you."

"Ok thanks, goodbye" Eponine said before she ran off.

As she rounded the corner she could hear Tyce call after her, "be careful."


	15. Chapter 15

Eponine was panting when she ran in the door, closing it firmly behind her before turning around to properly face her father's gang. They were a motely group of four men who outwardly seemed to despise each other. The first was large and burley man who wore clothes that seemed far too small for him, he had a look of absent mindedness about him that Eponine assumed was always on his face. The second had clothes that draped from his limbs and long dark hair that was hung at his shoulders in tangled mats. The third had an angry look on his face, and seemed like he was hiding something. The last one Eponine remembered as the young man that made her feel uncomfortable the previous night. His face was handsome but made by ugly the conceded air that he carried about with him, he wore cloths that seemed too nice to be worn by a man that associated himself with her father. And he had a smirk on his face that still made Eponine squirm.

"Ah, and the brat has decided to show?" Thenardier said harshly.

"I'm sorry, I came as fast as I could." The words escaped Eponine's mouth quickly.

"Eponine this is Brujon, Babet, Claquesous, and Montparnasse."

Eponine nodded to them.

"The girl is coming on the job?" asked Brujon.

"Yes." Thenardier responded. "She's an idiot, but she is brighter than you, maybe with her you lot won't fail so miserably this time."

"But…" Brujon started to try and defend himself.

"We're going to try something a bit easier this time. There is a cobbler down on Rue de Bievre, he does good business, but he can't hear to save his life, which is lucky for you lot, with all the ruckus you made last time. If it weren't for me you'd all me facing the law right now. So if I were you I would shut up and do as you're told."

Eponine had never heard her father speak so authoritatively before. The apartment fell silent.

"Brujon you will enter first, make sure the coast is clear and then signal to us, you can handle that right, just a signal?"

"Yes I can handle it."

"Something subtle, not knocking cutlery all over the place." Her father mocked.

"I can do it." Brujon said more defensively this time. Although he did not seem to have all his wits about him, he was a large man and Eponine was surprised to see her father speaking to him in such a way.

"Babet and Claquesous" the two men looked up alert. "We will enter and go about with the robbery. Babet you and I will go for the money, Claquesous you see if you can find any other valuables in the shop. Eponine you stand watch, Montparnasse, you will be with Eponine."

Montparnasse looked at Eponine and smiled, she flinched slightly but smiled back. This was her life, and as she told Gavroche, you have to pick your fights, and outwardly disliking one of her father's new friends was not a fight that Eponine was about to pick.

Her father walked over to the hooks on the wall and grabbed his large burlap sack, throwing some tools in as he made his way around the apartment. Once he finished milling about he paused and looked at the gang before yelling at them. "Well what are you all standing about here for, we've got a job to do." They all jumped as if being woken from a dream, before heading towards the door. "Not all at once, what do you want to do, announce to the world that we are robbing a cobbler, one or two at a time. Eponine you go first. The cobbler's on Rue de Bievre, straight there, no detours do you understand?"

Eponine gave a quick nod before running out the door. She walked to the shop as fast as she could, she didn't want to have to spend any more time with her father's gang than she needed to. When she arrived at the shop she looked in the window and saw a young woman guiding an old man up the stairs. She came back a few minutes later, blew out of the lantern on the table and walked out the back door and down through the alley. Eponine listened as she heard the woman's footsteps disappear into the night and was grateful that she left. Eponine didn't want anyone to get hurt. She prayed the old man would stay asleep upstairs, he if couldn't make it up the stairs by himself he would be hopeless against her father and his gang.

She heard two pairs of footsteps approaching and saw Claquesous and Montparnasse, neither of them looking at each other. When they arrived they walked up to Eponine and exchanged glances awkwardly for a few moments. The night was getting cold and Eponine wished she had Tyce's jacket back to keep her warm. It wasn't long until the rest of the gang showed up.

"You lot over here" her father called quietly. They all grouped around. "You know the plan?" They nodded.

Her father walked over the door and jimmied open the lock, giving the door a slight push. It swung open easily and as it did a bell faintly rang.

"Ok Brujon you first, and get rid of that bell."

Brujon walked in grabbing the bell with is fat hand and yanked it off the cord from which it hung. He entered the shop and disappeared into the dark; the rest of the gang waiting anxiously outside. Minutes later they heard a bell ring again.

Her father sighed before muttering under his breath, "I really need to have a word with Brujon about his signals. Ok Babet, Claquesous we're up. Montparnasse, Eponine keep watch for the law." They all exchanged another series of nods before her father disappeared into the dark shop as well.

After several anxious minutes Montparnasse finally broke the silence.

"So Eponine, what brings a pretty girl such as yourself to this here business?"

"What?" Eponine asked.

"What has lead you to the thieving life at suck a bright, young age." He asked again hovering over the words bright and young.

Eponine sighed and stepped a couple feet away from him before responding. "Family business" she said, hoping that Montparnasse would leave it at that.

"Not me." Montparnasse replied, "I do it to keep looking sharp."

"What?"

"A man's got to keep up his appearance, and that doesn't come cheap, plus there is good fun to have."

"In what…terrorizing others?" Eponine asked disgusted.

Montparnasse flashed her a smile, his teeth were whiter than any she had ever seen. He reached into his pocket a pulled out a long silver knife that reflected the moonlight, "don't worry, if anything happens I've got us covered" he said.

"I wasn't worried." Eponine whispered back.

"What?"

"I said I wasn't worried."

"Perhaps you should be Eponine Thenardier" Montparnasse replied as he stepped towards her, "this is a dangerous life you are leading, a girl like you should watch her back."

Before she could ask what he meant by that she heard a loud crash and heard her father scream "everyone out!" Seconds later her father came running out the door.

"Run!" he said. And so she took off back in the direction of the apartment, hearing her father's now full sack clank as he ran behind her. When they had all entered the apartment her father turned around and charged towards Brujon. "You big oaf, you nearly spoiled it again, and would have he we wouldn't have been robbing the house of a deaf man. As for the rest of you, not as horrible, but you are still a pathetic lot, now get out of here and I will see you at the tavern tomorrow."

The men left and her father closed the door firmly, locking it before turning around and looking at Eponine. She stood frozen in her spot, scared of what was coming. He dug around in his sack and pulled out a pair of small men's boots and threw them at Eponine's feet.

"Happy Birthday." He said before he went and grabbed the bottle of rum of the table.

"Thank you." Eponine responded in shock.

"And don't think you are getting paid, you work for this family, that is your duty now do you understand."

"Yes." Eponine replied as she picked her boots off the ground and retreated back into her corner.


	16. Chapter 16

The next morning Eponine set out for some time of freedom before being expected back at the apartment again, apparently tonight they were going to try and rob a blind milliner. Her new boots felt heavy and with every forceful step that Eponine made she was reminded of the life she was afraid that she was now trapped in. With every passing moment an unspeakable rage inside her grew, propelling her forward. She kicked at the pebbles on the street, chasing after them again and kicking them with more force until she almost tripped when her boot missed the small stone and kept swinging into the air.

"Hey Eponine, be careful, what did that stone ever do to you?" She heard a voice calling from behind her and turned around to see Courfeyrac.

"Oh hey." Eponine responded before turning around and continuing on her way.

"Eponine wait, you aren't angry at me too are you?" Courfeyrac called after her.

"No I'm sorry, just…frustrated, why, who is angry with you?" Eponine asked

"Tyce, he said I betrayed his confidence."

"Oh yes…sorry, it just sort of slipped out." Eponine said in a guilty tone.

"Don't worry about it, I think he was slightly embarrassed, not that he should be. He will get over it." Courfeyrac encouraged her.

"Good."

"I think it is better really."

"What is better?" Eponine asked

"That you and Tyce both know more about each other, perhaps now you can be more honest with each other."

"I don't know what you mean?" Eponine said.

"Just…never mind." Courfeyrac said as he smiled to himself. "I assume you are going to see Gavroche this morning?"

"Yes, and are you to see Tyce?" Eponine asked. "Or to see Gavroche, I hear you and my brother are close."

"Yeah, he's a good kid, fun to be around, you know?"

"Yes I do know," responded Eponine. "I am his sister."

"Of course, I didn't mean to…I would like us to the friends Eponine, if that is okay with you."

"I thought we were friends." Eponine responded as she looked down at her feet and kicked another stone.

"Good, that's good, well after you." Courfeyrac said as they walked off in the direction of Chiot de Combat. When they arrived Eponine felt a little more accepting about Courfeyrac being like an older brother to Gavroche, she wouldn't mind having one either.

"Eponine, Courfeyrac, lovely to see you today." Tyce said enthusiastically. Courfeyrac gave Tyce a confused glance which Tyce returned with a stern glare before relaxing his face again and smiling to Eponine.

"Lovely to see you too Tyce," Eponine responded hesitantly. "Where is Gavroche?" she asked, looking around at the boys who seemed to be playing a game of tag.

"He is..." Tyce grabbed the collar of a passing boy pulling him back to him, "Alain, where is Gavroche?"

"How should I know?" responded the boy.

"Well can you find him and tell him his sister is here?"

The boy who was apparently called Alain glanced at Eponine and then back at Tyce before shrugging his shoulders and responding, "Fine then."

"Fine then," Tyce replied back in a playful tone as he let go of the boy who went running off again.

"New boots Eponine?" Tyce asked as they sat at waited for Gavroche to hopefully get the message.

Eponine looked down at her feet and kicked the ground before replying, "indeed they are" in a downcast tone.

Tyce looked at her confused when Gavroche came running up.

"Hi Eponine!" He said loudly and quickly.

"Hey Gavroche" Eponine replied back her tone shifting away from anger.

"Tyce, can I go to the elephant?" He asked.

"Why?"

"I want to go and play and tell Alain all about Napoleon." He looked up at Eponine proudly.

"Don't you want to spend time with your sister?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"It is ok, I'll be around later." Eponine replied, Gavroche looked at Tyce again who finally nodded his approval which sent Gavroche running off.

Just before he was out of sight Tyce called after him, "try to make something of the day."

Courfeyrac laughed as more boys ran past, "what did you do to those boys this morning?" he asked.

"The baker apparently ruined some cakes with too much sugar somehow and we were the lucky recipients. I thought giving it to the boys in the morning would be better than at night, but now I'm not sure."

Courfeyrac laughed again, "you need to work on your parenting skills."

Eponine started to walk away slowly, there obviously wasn't anything left for her here.

"Yeah well you need to…" Tyce started to reply before he saw Eponine's retreating form and called after her, "Eponine, where are you going?"

"I'm not sure, for a walk I guess."

"We could come" said Courfeyrac.

"No, don't worry about it, you obviously have some catching up to do, I'll see you guys later."

"Don't leave so soon." Tyce replied back.

"What?"

"Courfeyrac and I get enough of each other, stay, if you don't have anywhere else you need to be."

"Well I have to be home in a little while." Tyce just looked at her. "Fine" she replied walking back to where the two of them were standing, smiling inside, glad that she had found someplace she was wanted. The three of them grabbed some crates and sat in the corner of the alley, most hidden from the outside street. Courfeyrac reached into his pack and pulled out a bunch of sandwiches, handing them around.

"You have three?" Eponine asked, "how did you know I would be here?"

"He didn't" Tyce replied, his mouth already full, "he always carries plenty, how many have you got in there today?"

"Well I had six" Courfeyrac responded.

"So Eponine, what is wrong with the boots." Tyce asked before Eponine could get any deeper into the sandwich mystery.

"What?" Eponine asked.

"Where did you get the boots?"

"They were a gift from my father."

"That's nice" responded Courfeyrac in a hopeful tone.

Eponine just grunted in response before taking a bite of the sandwich herself.

"What's wrong Eponine?" Tyce prodded.

"Nothing?" she responded. Tyce just looked at her doubtfully. "They were the spoils of the night." She admitted at last.

"What?"

"My father's got a new gang, and we robbed an old man last night, he makes shoes. These are his, my father took them along with his money and gave me the boots."

"I'm sorry Eponine." Courfeyrac responded.

"Don't be sorry!" Eponine yelled. "I'm a criminal after all."

"You're not a criminal Eponine." Tyce responded.

"I helped rob an old man."

"You didn't want to."

"But I didn't stop it. I didn't refuse."

"Maybe you shouldn't." Tyce responded.

"What?" Eponine responded, "so you think I should be a criminal too?"

"I don't think that is what Tyce is saying?" Courfeyrac responded.

"I'm just saying, if you don't want to leave and stay with us, which you are welcome to do, then maybe you should take your own advice."

"What advice?"

"The advice you gave Gavroche about picking your fights, your father is a powerful man isn't he." Eponine closed her eyes and nodded. "And now he has friends…fighting them isn't the best decision, you could get hurt. And you not helping him isn't going to stop your father from doing whatever it is he and his friends are going to do. We all have our lives Eponine, some more painful than others, and we have to do what we need to do to get through them in the most dignified way possible. So don't blame yourself, and don't fight him Eponine, remember what you said, wait until the pup grows up."

"I'm not a pup." Eponine said. "And you really shouldn't be telling little boys to pick fights."

"I don't…Gavroche misunderstood my sentiment…but your's is a good addition."

"Sometimes I think he looks up to you too much."

"So Eponine are you going to stay?"

"What?" Eponine was having a hard time following Tyce's ever changing topics.

"With us, stay with us." Tyce asked again.

"I can't" Eponine responded. She wished she could, but she knew that her father would only find her and she didn't want Gavroche to get caught in the middle of it.

Tyce nodded. "Well you're always welcome here, just be careful, and remember you're not what you need to do to survive, that's not on you, that is on them."


	17. Chapter 17

18 Months later.

Eponine ran inside from the rain shaking it from her frail yet strong frame and taking off her dripping wet shall before looking up and noticing how oddly still the apartment was. Her mother sat at the table picking at her finger nails and her father sat in his chair, pulled out more than it usually was, facing the doorway were she now stood.

"Hello." She said, trying to break the tension. "The weather is getting to be a bit much out there, is the job for tomorrow still on?" Eponine asked as she hung her shall on one of the pegs in the wall. She started rubbing her arms, trying to get some feeling back in them.

"Yes" her father said, "the job is still on, but there are other jobs for you to do."

"Other jobs?" Eponine asked.

"You'll no longer be needed for all the jobs anymore, we will still need you for some odd jobs…but now there are other ways you could bring in money, more money." Her father said greedily.

"What do you mean?" Eponine asked hesitantly. She feared where this was going and looked over to her mother for some kind of support.

"There are men down at the tavern who would pay handsomely for…"

"For what…for me?" Eponine asked disgusted.

"Yes." Her father answered bluntly.

"NO" Eponine screamed back.

Her father walked up to where she was standing and slapped her. "You will do what needs to be done to help support this family Eponine, do you want us out on the streets?"

"I have been helping to support this family, I've been out on every one of your jobs with your pathetic gang for the past year and a half."

"You've had freedom Eponine, far too much freedom."

"I've done as I've been told, I've done everything you asked." Eponine responded.

"And you will continue to do so."

"No I won't, not with that, not like that, Mama you can't agree with this?" Eponine pleaded looking at her mother.

"Certain things need to be done for the family Eponine." Her mother replied, her mind seemed to be far away.

"What like having the man of the house get an honest job?" Eponine asked.

"EPONINE." Her father screamed.

"NO, I won't do it, you need more money, get a job instead of spending your day at the tavern with your drunk friends. I know how much money our jobs bring in, and it seems to me that it disappears rather quickly."

"I am you're father Eponine and you will treat me with respect."

Eponine walked up to her father fearlessly before clearly stating "You are not my father, you are a coward and a thief and I hate you." Years of hate and disgust spilling out in one neat sentence. She remembered Tyce's warning to not fight back, but Eponine knew there were times to fight and this was one of them.

Her father lunged for her but Eponine jumped back and ran for the door. As she ran down the hallway she could hear her father screaming "We'll get you, you brat, you will help support this family!"

Eponine ran through the streets, the rain beating against her as tears streamed down her face. She had done everything her father had asked, taken part in every scheme, even learned to pick pocket so she could bring home some spare change on the days she was allowed to roam free. She thought she had been safe, she did not expect this, not yet. She ran for blocks before realizing that she needed a place to go and headed towards the first place that she could think of, Chiot de Combat. As she entered the alley it was quiet, "Tyce, Gavroche, Tyce!" she called, becoming more and more hysterical as the seconds pasted. She saw a tall figure emerge from the shadows and ran towards it.

"Tyce, I changed my mind, I want to stay here." She panted.

"What are you doing her Eponine you have to get out." Tyce replied sternly.

"You said I could stay here, I accept, I accept your offer let me stay here, where is Gavroche?"

"He's gone."

"Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"I told them to leave, you need to get going too."

"Tyce" Eponine pleaded.

"Get going Eponine."

"Please let me stay, don't send me back to my father." She begged.

Tyce's stubborn look dissolved for a moment as it was replacing with a caring and sympathetic glace before it turned back, his brow furrowing and his eyes glazing over with fear. "Eponine I can't help you, now get out!" He repeated again, grabbing for his knife this time.

Eponine walked up to him, and laid her hand on his fist clenching the knife, lowering his trembling arm.

"Tyce, what is wrong, where are the boys?" Eponine asked again more calmly this time.

"I made the wrong person angry and I'm afraid he is coming for me, I told the boys to run I didn't want them to get hurt."

"Then why don't you run, you don't need to get hurt either." Eponine said.

"I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, but wouldn't it be best if…"

"He'll just keep looking for me, he is probably looking for me right now, which is why you need to get going now." Tyce interrupted her, almost screaming.

"But Tyce…"

"LEAVE NOW EPONINE" Tyce yelled harshly "Please." He pleaded at last. Looking in his eyes Eponine saw pools of fear, but for what? For her? For the boys? For himself? For the first time ever Eponine worried about Tyce but knew she couldn't convince him to leave. She knew she was stubborn, but Tyce was worse, and like he said, he could take care of himself.

"Fine" Eponine said, "but find me when it is over ok?" Tyce nodded to her. Eponine ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him whispering in his ear, "be safe." He slowly returned her embrace wrapping his now sturdy arms around her before gently pushing her away from him.

"You have to go now." He said again. "I'll come and find you tomorrow morning."

Eponine nodded before disappearing off into the night again.

After what seemed like hours of wandering Eponine found herself under a bridge. Although the rain had let off the bridge offered some dry ground. Eponine sat on the cold stones and rested her back against the bridge's gentle arch and hugged her knees to herself trying to get warm. She had left her shall in the apartment when she ran out, and the jacket that she now called her own was with Tyce at Chiot de Combat. She would go back there tomorrow she thought to herself as she watched the Seine flow by her, running quickly because of the rainfall. She would go back and find Tyce and Gavroche. She could stay with the boys, maybe they could even find somewhere a little more upscale to stay than an alley behind a tavern. She started thinking of the places as she dozed off smiling to herself, she didn't have to be her father's slave any more.

"Hey there's a girl down here." She heard a familiar voice call, jolting her awake. As she opened her eyes he looked over to see Brujon making is way down the stairs to the under belly of the bridge and her hiding place. "Well hello Eponine" Brujon called to her, "we've been looking all over for you."

Eponine scrambled up, tripping slightly on the pebbles beneath her feet, and turned to run away from Brujon.

"No, no, no Eponine, not so fast" she heard Claquesous say as he made his way down the opposite staircase. Eponine looked back and forth between the two of them, trying to decide which one would be easier to get around. Brujon was bigger, but Claquesous faster, she had gotten to know their strengths and weaknesses well over the past months. After a couple of seconds she turned and ran towards Brujon, hoping to catch him off guard and be able to duck to around his side. She almost made it when she felt an arm grab her around her waist.

"Now you didn't really think that was going to work did you" Claquesous asked as he slowly walked over to where Brujon stood holding Eponine as she kicked and flailed.

"Calm down girl, we just want to take you back to see your father."

"No, please, don't. I can get you some money, just please don't bring me back there" Eponine begged.

"Oh, your father is offering more than you could get us" Brujon said, "now come on."

"I won't go with you." Eponine said as she continued to flail.

Claquesous nodded to Brujon who shifted his grip on Eponine so that he was holding her by her arms which were pinned to her sides. Claquesous cracked his knuckles before punching Eponine in the stomach.

"Yes I think you will find you are." He hissed.


	18. Chapter 18

As they neared the apartment Babet darted out of an alley way. "You found her?" he asked.

"Yes we found her, now we better hurry up and get back, it will be light soon, have you seen Montparnasse around?" Claquesous asked.

"I think he was out looking too, he'll find his way back." Babet answered. Minutes later they had reached the apartment, Eponine was slung over Brujon's shoulder as she refused to walk up the stairs. Babet pounded on the door of the Thenardier's room and the door was opened a crack.

"Have you got the girl?" Eponine could hear he father ask.

"Yeah, we've got her."

Thenardier opened the door wider allowing the men to enter, Eponine was put down in order to make her way through the doorway. She tried to kick, to dig in her heels and fight but it was useless.

"Give her here" her father ordered as he walked over to where Brujon was standing, getting a firm grip on Eponine's arm before Brujon let go.

"Hello Eponine" her father said as he dragged Eponine over to the wall.

"Papa, please." Eponine pleaded.

"Oh, so now I am your papa am I?" Thenardier asked as he slammed Eponine into the plaster wall. "You think you can just disrespect me like that, give up your responsibilities?"

"I won't do what you want…" Eponine started

"You will do as you're told" her father interrupted. Raising his rough hands around Eponine's neck, "do you remember what you are Eponine?" her father asked as he tightened his grip. Eponine nodded. "You do?" he asked again as Eponine's face started to turn red and she nodded again before he released her and she dropped to the ground gasping for breath.

"What are you Eponine?" her father asked. "WHO ARE YOU?" he asked again lifting her up and throwing her across the room. She landed in a heap at the feet of her father's gang members who picked her up as if she was a rag doll. "WHO ARE YOU?" her father screamed again.

"I am a Thenardier." Eponine replied.

"WHO ARE YOU"

"A Thenardier" Eponine cried in response.

"Good, you remember that." Her father walked over to where she was standing and punched her with a force that sent her flying before she was caught just in time for another fist to find her and send her flying again. She tried to fight back, to claw at the hands that caught her, to spit in the first face she could see, but it was pointless. She was thrown around, but always standing, until she didn't know if she was coming or going. Finally the group backed off for long enough for the final punch to send Eponine falling to the ground at last.

"Please Papa" Eponine begged as she looked up at him through her now blurry vision.

"Never" her father kicked her, "Disresepct," her father kicked her again, "ME," her father spat as he kicked her again and the rest of the gang moved in to do the same. She curled into a ball trying to protect herself, but it was pointless, their boots were hard and their legs strong. After what seemed like hours the door opened and the barrage of hits stopped as Montparnasse walked in.

"What fun have I been missing?" he asked. The gang looked at her father and he nodded again as they backed up leaving Eponine huddled on the ground, struggling to stay aware of the situation around her. Montparnasse walked up to her and picked her up, holding her before him. "Oh Eponine, you're such a mess what are we to do with you?" he asked as he wiped a drip of blood rolling down her cheek before pressing his lips to hers and letting her fall to the floor again, putting in a kick for good measure.

He turned and faced the rest of the gang, "So is there a job tonight?" he asked.

"No." Her father said, "but there are drinks to be had." And with that the gang left the apartment and Eponine lying on the floor. There wasn't an inch of her that didn't scream with pain, and she could feel her consciousness slipping away from her. She dragged herself across the floor to her corner and covered herself with the rags that she called blankets before passing out.

Eponine awoke the next morning to the sound of metal on metal banging coming from outside of their apartment.

'BANG BANG BANG' and then a pause before another 'BANG BANG BANG' rang out through the silence.

It was Gavroche, their code that they had set up that one day. He had never used it before, Eponine tried to sit up before she was floored again with pain.

'BANG BANG BANG' she heard again. She tried to get up again but to no avail. She dragged herself over the window which was only a few feet from where Eponine lay but it still took all of her strength. She lifted herself up just long enough to see Gavroche dressed her trench coat with a crow bar across the street; looking up at her apartment again before hitting the exposed pipe again, 'BANG BANG BANG.'

"Gavroche" she weezed, it was hopeless, even if she could yell it would be doubtful that Gavroche would be able to hear.

'BANG BANG BANG' came the sound of the Gavroche's signal again. Eponine pounded on the window, waving a rag, hoping that Gavroche could see it. 'BANG BANG BANG' came the sound again, faster this time. Eponine responded in same, using whatever kind of signal she could manage in the window.

Then there was silence. "Gavroche" she tried to call out again. But there was still no response. She crawled back to her bed before collapsing again. Gavroche would be alright she told herself, he had Tyce and a whole band of boys to look after him.

Just then she heard the door creak as it swung open slightly and heard a small voice call out "Eponine."

"Gavroche" she replied, sitting up as much as she could manage. "What's wrong?" Gavroche just looked at her. "Gavroche come here." Eponine said and Gavroche made his way over.

"What happened to you Eponine, are you ok?"

"It isn't anything that time can't fix, why did you come, you've never used your signal before."

"You're not alright Eponine" Gavroche started to cry.

"Yes I am, I'll be fine, what's wrong?"

Gavroche made his way closer to her. "I brought you your jacket I thought you might get cold." Gavroche said through his tears.

"That was very thoughtful of you, but that isn't why you came here is it?" Gavroche shook his head.

"Did Tyce find you, I saw him last night he said he had sent you boys off." Gavroche shook his head again.

"Tyce didn't send you off?" Eponine asked confused.

"No he did." Gavroche responded. "But he didn't come and find us."

"Well I'm sure it is just a matter of time, Paris is a big place to search you realize, don't worry." she told Gavroche wiping away his tears.

"We found him." Gavroche said.

"Well then what is all this fuss about?"

"Tyce is dead."

Eponine felt her heart fall to her chest.

"What?" she asked.

"We went back to Chiot de Combat, and found him."

"No." Eponine responded. "We'll go find him together, ok? You just need to give me time to get my strength back."

"He was stabbed" Gavroche continued.

"No." Eponine repeated again, "it is just a matter of time, he will come and find us, you'll see?"

"We went back to find him and he was on the ground and there was blood. He is dead Eponine, he isn't going to find us." Gavroche said harshly, almost scolding her before he started to cry again.

Eponine just held Gavroche to her as he continued. "the rest of the boys ran when we saw him, but I checked to see if he was alive, he was so cold. So I grabbed the jacket, then I ran too."

Eponine just lay there in shock.

"Eponine" Gavroche said, "Eponine."

"Go to the elephant Gavroche."

"What."

"Your elephant, go there, you can live inside of it, you are big enough now."

"But I don't want to."

"I will come and find you just as soon as I can, I promise Gavroche I will come and find you."

"That's what…"

"I won't let anything happen to me, but please you have to go it isn't safe." Gavroche looked down at her, suddenly seeming to realize more than an seven year old boy should need to.

"You'll come and find me at the elephant?" he asked.

Eponine nodded. And Gavroche ran out the door leaving Eponine lying on the ground. It had never felt so cold hard before, the air so cold. Eponine pulled Tyce's jacket up around her and rolled over to face the wall allowing a tear to roll down her cheek before she closed her eyes and drifted off into a fitful sleep.

* * *

**So this was not an easy chapter to write for obvious reasons. Please review, constructive criticism is very helpful. **

**I may not be updating as frequently as I normally do (everyday) because to say that the upcoming week is busy and overwhelming would be an understatement, so we'll see how much I write. **

**But don't give up on me, I'll be back. And so will Eponine. **


	19. Chapter 19

The sound of a door slamming and two pairs of heavy footsteps jolted Eponine awake. She laid facing the wall, and closed her eyes pretending to be asleep.

"Fine then what is it you want?" She heard Montparnasse ask.

"A word" Thenardier responded.

"About what?"

"You, your actions recently you've been forgetting your place."

"Oh and I expect you are going to tell me where that is." Montparnasse mocked.

"Yes." Her father answered sternly, "I am, you work for me, you do as I tell you. And if you don't you are going to find yourself friendless and income less, and don't think you could succeed on your own."

"But our deal…" Montparnasse interrupted her father.

"Our deal doesn't change anything, it is a separate matter."

"You haven't held up your end of the deal." Montparnasse retorted.

"The girl will come around." Montparnasse just scoffed in response, "where were you the other night?" her father asked.

"What?" Montparnasse replied.

"The whole gang was needed for a special job, one I would think you would care about, yet somehow you were nowhere to be found."

"I had my own business to attend to."

"You don't have your own business anymore, what matters of yours could be more important that the needs of group?"

"There was a street rat who needed to be put in his place."

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT SOME STREET RAT." Her father yelled at Montparnasse. Eponine jumped, startled at her father's sudden outburst. She clutched her jacket and closed her eyes hoping her sudden movement had gone unnoticed.

"I assure you it won't happen again. He won't be bothering anyone anymore, him or his stupid gang of sniveling brats…they thought they could have some dignity in their life while living behind a dirty tavern." Montparnasse responded.

Eponine felt a chill and anger come over her, her vision blurred and her whole body felt like it was nowhere and everywhere all at the same time. Tyce. Montparnasse was talking about Tyce, and her brother was one of the sniveling brats, she hoped he was safe. Every cell in her body urged Eponine to get up and hurt Montparnasse for what she now knew he did, but she was in no shape, she could hardly move. Her father's gravelly voice brought Eponine back to the moment as the cracks in the wall in front of her came into focus again.

"I don't care about your business" Thenardier responded. "Just don't forget who you work for, and don't let it interfere again" Her father repeated.

Eponine heard footsteps slowly make their way towards her and felt Montparnasse's breath on her neck as he stroked her cheek. It took every fiber of her being to keep her eyes shut and her body facing the wall.

"About our deal?" Montparnasse asked.

"In time." Thenardier responded. "I think it is best that you leave now." At that Montparnasse walked away and moments later Eponine heard the door close.

"Eponine!" Her father called.

Eponine rolled over and opened her eyes, and yawned pretending that she had just woken up.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Come over here." He father ordered, looking at her in a quizzical way, curious to see what his daughter was capable of. Eponine tried to prop herself up, pushing against the floor her hands, the only part of her that did not seem to be sore before collapsing again.

"I can't" she responded.

Her father walked over to where she lay and gently grabbed her by her shoulders, lifting her up until she was propped up, sitting against the wall. He grabbed some bread and dropped it at her side before barking, "well eat up." Eponine did as she was told, she couldn't remember the last time that she had eaten. For the next three days Eponine ate better than she could never remember while being in that dirty apartment. Every time that her father returned home he dropped bread of cheese, and even one time a piece of dried meat by her and told her to eat.

On the fourth day her father walked into the apartment and walked over to where Eponine was laying. She looked up at him, but instead of dropping food at her feet he just looked at her and ordered, "Stand up."

"What?" she asked.

"You've been laying there long enough, had enough time to rest, now stand up."

Eponine propped herself up into a sitting position before slowly standing up. The minute she was on her feet her father grabbed her arm and started walking towards the door.

"What…where are we going."

"You have a visit to make."

"A visit?" Eponine asked, confused.

"You've been gone from the gang so long, they have been missing you, so I told Montparnasse you would pay him a visit now come along."

"Montparnasse? Papa, please no, not him."

"Come along Eponine." Was all her father said as he tightened his grip of Eponine's arm and dragged her out the door.

* * *

I'm sorry this is getting so dark, whenever I write I feel bad but at the same time I trying to be true to what I believe that Eponine's life was like while at the same time giving her some good stuff, through her relationships.

Please review it is really helpful. There are only a couple more chapters to go.


	20. Chapter 20

Eponine walked out of Montparnasse's room and closed the door behind her calmly before running into the street and into the nearest alley that she could find. A broken board lay on the ground, slightly splintered and warped, discolored from the rain. She picked it up and ran is contoured grain under her hands trying to suppress the darkness that she felt growing inside her until she couldn't any longer. She gripped it at its base and smashed it against the brick wall again and again until it was nothing but a splintered nub in her fists. She heard a disconcerted sound and movement coming from inside the brick building and dropped the wood where she stood and ran off into the road once more.

She headed for Place de la Bastille and hoped that she would find Gavroche at the elephant. She had told him to go there, make it his new home. But it had been nearly a week since he came and found her that night that everything had changed. She had promised him that she would come and find him as soon as she could, it had just been longer than she had planned. She prayed that he would be there waiting for her, that Montparnasse did not have a score to settle with anyone else she cared about.

She slowly picked up her pace as her thoughts ate away at her; as the Parisian streets slowly began to widen she heard a familiar voice calling to her.

"Eponine," Courfeyrac called. Eponine walked faster still, she had things to do and she wasn't going to let anyone slow her down. And she didn't want to see Courfeyrac right now.

"Eponine." She heard again, the voice closer this time, "Eponine I know you can hear me." Courfeyrac called again.

Eponine took a deep breath before turning around to see Courfeyrac jogging up to her with another young man trailing not too far behind him.

"Eponine, it's been a while since I've seen you." Eponine just shrugged. "Eponine this is my friend Enjolras."

The young man nodded at Eponine as she replied, "Nice to meet you Monsieur," while looking at the ground.

"Eponine, is everything all right?" Courfeyrac asked, looking concerned.

"It is fine Monsieur." Eponine replied.

"Since when do you call be Monsieur?" Eponine just shrugged again and continued to look at the ground, "Gavroche told me that you had been hurt, I wanted to help but he wouldn't tell me where you were."

"I'm fine, I assure you but I really must be going."

"Of course, it was nice to see you." Eponine nodded to him and started to walk away when she heard Courfeyrac speak again, "I'm sorry about Tyce, I miss him too."

"What?" Eponine asked as she turned around to face Courfeyrac and his friend again.

"I heard about Tyce, I miss him too."

"I don't need your pity." Eponine responded.

"Pity? I didn't mean anything by that…I just he meant a lot to me, and I know you two were close…"

"You know nothing." Eponine interrupted him with a strength that she didn't know she was capable of, fueled by the anger and disgust of the events of the past week.

"What?" Courfeyrac asked confused.

"You think you know of our lives, you think you knew Tyce, you knew we were close, but you don't know why."

"Then tell me." Courfeyrac responded patiently.

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"No, because you wouldn't…you couldn't. You can't understand what it is like to fear when you know love, to understand what it is like to never feel safe, to have to change…to do things, just so you can live and eat. We are forced to do things no one should have to do, to give up parts of ourselves. You think you can just come around and be our friend, to understand our lives. You can't understand. Your life is easy you are given food, education, a future and dignity. Me and Tyce had to fight for such things, and others we could never dream of having. You told me once that you liked Tyce's games…the boys loved his stories. But that is because we have to come up with games and stories, because we are nothing Monsieur and those bits of fun give our soul something…so don't tell me you understand, because you don't."

The minute Eponine finished speaking she looked up at Courfeyrac as a tear rolled down his face. Enjolras stood behind him, stepped back with a look of terror, confusion and inspiration mixed in a seemingly impossible combination.

"You're not nothing." Was all the Courfeyrac could say.

"I must be off to see Gavroche." Eponine said as she turned around, instantly regretting the words that she had spued at Courfeyrac.

* * *

When she arrived at the elephant at Place de la Bastille she saw a blue scrap of fabric peeking out of a hole near the base of one of the elephant's legs and peaked her head in before hearing a muffled voice, "What are you looking for?" Eponine ducked out of the elephant, nearly hitting her head, and turned around to see Gavroche facing her, standing in a defensive pose.

"Eponine!" she heard her brother call.

"Hi Gavroche." She responded as Gavroche ran up to hug her.

"I thought you were dead."

"I'm sorry Gavroche…"

"No, you said you would come and find me, and then you didn't."

"But I did."

"And for four days you let me think that you were dead, that whoever had gotten Tyce had found you."

Eponine closed her eyes and forced the thought of Montparnasse out her mind before replying, "but he didn't and he won't, and he don't find you either. You don't know who it was do you Gavroche?"

"No but if I find out I'll…"

"You'll do nothing, and you won't look for him Gavroche, no good can come of that."

"But what if he comes looking for me, or one of the boys, don't we need to protect ourselves?"

"Do you know why he came after Tyce?" Eponine asked Gavroche.

"No, all Tyce said was that he had done something to upset a very bad and angry man and he had to take care of it, make sure it was all over."

"It is all over Gavroche, you just need to leave it be, now are you going to show me your new home?"

"Oh yeah!" Gavroche said, and through the excitement Eponine could see glimses of her old brother peeking through, the innocent boy who didn't worry about men coming for him or his sister, or for protecting boys who couldn't look out for themselves.

"Well you found the entrance" Gavroche said as he walked back to the hole in the elephant's leg. "You just need to come in here and climb up."

"Climb up?" Eponine asked.

"Come on you'll see." Gavroche disappeared into the leg and as Eponine followed him she saw a make shift ladder leading to an opening overhead. She looked at the notches suspiciously before Gavroche called down again, "it's safe I promise." Eponine climbed up into a large opening that Eponine assumed was the elephant's body. The cavern was dim, small patches of light slashed on the walls and floor from holes in the body. Amongst the wooden frame there were blankets scattered in small clumps that looked almost like nests.

"How many people live here with you Gavroche?"

"Four, five including me, I ran into some of the little ones after…well you know, and they haven't seemed to leave me since."

"So you're the new leader?"

"Yeah I guess so, but come on you haven't seen the best part yet" Eponine looked up at Gavroche as he pulled himself through a small hole in the ceiling of the body and as Eponine followed in she saw that there was another cavern.

"How big is this thing?" she asked.

"Bigger than I thought, but real elephants aren't this big, I asked Courfeyrac and he showed me a picture of one, come on we are almost there."

"Courfeyrac comes here?" Eponine asked as she followed Gavroche through another hole and onto a slated wood floor at the base of a ladder which she could see Gavroche already ascending.

"Sometimes" Gavroche called down to her, "I saw him by Chiot de Combat after I saw you and I told him were I was moving, he visits sometimes, is it important?" he asked.

"No not really." Eponine responded and she reached the top of the ladder and yet another platform. She stood up and stretched, blinded from the light which now poured down upon her. The plaster of the elephant, or rather the column bisecting the elephant only came to her knees, as she looked around she could see what seemed like all of Paris stretching out before her. "Wow" was all she could say.

"You can also get out through the head, but that takes more maneuvering, so I thought I would show you this."

"No, Gavroche this is…a great place for you."

"My Paris," was all the Gavroche said in a satisfied tone.

"Yes, your Paris." Eponine smiled down at her brother.

"Eponine?"

"Yes Gavroche?"

"What do you dream of?"

Eponine just laughed, "what?"

"What do you dream of?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Tyce said it was always important to remember what you dreamed of, whenever things got bad. He told us to think of what kind of life we wanted for ourselves."

"And what is your dream?" she asked Gavroche.

"To be King of Paris of course." Gavroche replied, waving his arms about the Paris that stretched out in front of them.

"Naturally." Eponine responded.

"So what is yours?" Gavroche asked again as he climbed down the ladder and back into the belly of the beast.

"I don't know." Was all that Eponine said.

"But in your life you don't want anything?"

"I've got you isn't that enough?"

"And you don't want anything else?" Gavroche teased her.

"I suppose." Eponine responded, her words drifting off, "it would be nice to have something, someone…different."

"Different?" Gavroche asked.

"Safe, and kind, who knew nothing of this life, my life; I would be able to start things new, you would be there too of course, we could live in one of those big houses and you could go to school."

"Someone like Courfeyrac?" Gavroche asked.

"No" Eponine responded quickly, "Courfeyrac is like a brother."

"But I'm your brother."

"I said like…but yes I suppose someone like Courfeyrac, but someone who doesn't know of the things that have happened so that things could be new again, be different." Eponine repeated again smiling, Gavroche seemed troubled by this.

"But Tyce says…said that the things that happen to us make us who we are and that we shouldn't forget them."

"Tyce was smart, but there are some things..." Eponine trailed off and Gavroche looked at her. "To the King of Paris," Eponine said after a moment as she raised an imaginary glass.

"To new things," Gavroche replied with a grin.


	21. Chapter 21

Eight Months Later

"So really in the end it turned out that Claude should really stick to begging and leave the stealing to those who are little more apt…but his tears did him good and all was forgiven." Gavroche finished his story. Eponine opened her eyes to streams of dust illuminated by the streaks of light permitted in Gavroche's home by the elephant's deteriorating frame.

"And Claude is the one who is obsessed with that blue jacket?" Eponine asked.

"No he is the one who joined us just last month…Eponine do you listen when I tell you things?"

"Of course I do 'Roche, it just gets to be a bit to keep track of sometimes." Eponine said as she yawned and sat up, she didn't want to admit that she sometimes dozed off when she laid down in her nest in the elephant and let Gavroche tell her of his day. It was one of the only moments when she got a chance to rest and was able to let down her guard, she didn't mean to ignore Gavroche.

"Eponine?" Gavroche asked.

"Yeah."

"What time did you say you had to be back by?"

"Four o'clock in the afternoon, right on the dot." Eponine did her best impression of her father, not that Gavroche could remember him anymore, and Eponine was fine with that. "We are going to go over the plan and then head into the square, something about being the perfect balance of quiet and people milling around."

Before Eponine could finish her sentence Gavroche had scrabbled off in the direction of the top of the elephant.

"If you are going to complain about me missing minute details of your epic tales you really shouldn't run off before I can finish a sentence." Eponine called after him.

"It's a quarter to four." Eponine heard Gavroche call frantically from his tower before he returned again.

"What?" Eponine asked, she couldn't believe she had let the time get away from her.

"It is a quarter to four, you have fifteen minutes to get home." Eponine jumped up and started to scrabble down out the elephant, she knew her away around well enough by now. "You can't be late, Eponine!" she heard Gavroche call after her, practically chasing her out.

"I know" Eponine responded.

"You have to be safe, you promised me you would be safe, and part of that requires you to get home on time, you know what happens when you don't, I don't see you for days and then what am I supposed to do?" He asked, the words coming out in a rapid breathless sentence.

"I know what happens." She turned around and told Gavroche sternly. Although she loved her brother she was starting to worry that he was forgetting who the older sibling in this relationship was. "I'll see you tomorrow" Eponine called as she sprinted away.

As she reached the corner of the square she could see Courferyac in the corner of her eye and as he called to her she slowed down a bit, "always in such a rush Eponine?" He called, half question, half statement.

"You know, things to do" she called back as she jogged away. Courfeyrac shook his head and laughed as he headed towards the elephant with what looked like a good dinner for Gavroche and the boys.

Eponine ran into her apartment just as the clock rang, announcing the arrival of the sixteenth hour of the day.

"Right in time." Her father said, "I thought we were going to have to start without you."

"Nope" Eponine replied as she caught her breath, "I'm here, so what is the plan?"

"We are going to try a bit of trickery…well and robbery." At this the gang laughed, although Eponine could not see what was funny.

"Listen" he screamed, silencing their fun as they turned to look at him.

"Eponine, you will keep watch, Montparnasse said he is feeling ill today so you will be on your own." Her father continued. At this news Eponine's heart slowed down, beating now just from her run home and less so from anxiety, the night was looking good already.

"Babet you are going to go into the tailors, the man in out and he has his blubbering wife running the shop for the week, she can hardly handle two customers at one time, so you go in and…be yourself, create the work of five customers at least." Babet nodded, looking a bit downtrodden from her father's lack of confidence.

"Brujon and Claquesous, you also be yourself, create a ruckus, get into a fight in front of the shop, that should help and distract the woman."

"Fight about what?" Brujon asked.

"I don't know…Claquesous stole your woman, be creative."

Brujon nodded at her father before Claquesous chimed in, "as if he could ever have a woman." Brujon turned to Claquesous and punched his shoulder quite hardly.

"Good, just like that." Thenardier replied, "just save it."

"What will you do?" Babet asked.

"I will do the actual work, I will sneak into the shop and into the back and do what I do best, take from those too stupid to keep what is theirs, now does everyone know the plan."

The group nodded and they headed out into the street and towards the square.

* * *

Claquesous and Brujon were more than doing their job and as Eponine backed away she started to wonder if their show of a fight had turned into an actual brawl. As Eponine stood against the wall of a store a couple of buildings down she scanned the crowds for anything that could interrupt the plan, most of all the police. The streets were clear of those who so harshly enforced the law but Eponine spied Gavroche's face peeking out from an alley a block down. She gestured at him to leave; it was supposed to be her that was looking out for Gavroche, not the other way around.

After a moment she gave up on gesturing and turned around to scan the crowds again but instead saw a young man standing only feet away from her. His hair was neatly combed and he was wearing clothes that seemed too proper for anywhere but a great estate.

"Is everything alright?" He asked.

"Yes, fine I just thought I saw someone I knew." Eponine said as she turned to walk away.

"I mean with the fight?" The young man replied.

"Oh yes, I know them, this is normal."

"You know those men?" The young man seemed shocked.

"I mean I have seen them around before, they always been to be in a squabble."

"It is just I had something to pick up from the tailor just across the way, but it seems like I might be entering a war zone if I were to come within inches of that, squabble as you say."

"Yes" Eponine replied, "Warzones should really be avoided." She didn't know why she continued engaging this man, she had a job to do, and Brujon and Claquesous were certainly doing their job keeping men like him away.

"Maybe I will sneak around, it is a jacket for my grandfather, he wants it for tomorrow at the latest, but it really would be best if he had it tonight."

"Then come back in the morning." Eponine replied.

"What?" The man replied.

"If it can wait until the morning I think it would be best to wait, you said so yourself."

"What could they do?" The young man asked as he started to walk in the direction of the shop.

"I really think you should come back in the morning" Eponine called as she chased after him, maneuvering herself between him and her father's work.

"It will only take a moment." He said again, making a step to get around Eponine.

"You need to leave." Eponine said harshly, looking him in the eyes, they were startling blue.

"Why?" he asked. And before she could come up with a response she heard her father whistle, the signal that all was done.

"That is a good question, and really you are right, it would be silly to make two trips and I'm sure those men will be clearing out soon." Eponine said as she stepped out of his way. "I hope your grandfather enjoys his jacket." She called as she ran off in the direction of her apartment.

When she got home she saw something she never thought she would see again, her father was smiling.

"There was more back there than I thought." He said as he handed out money to each of gang, even throwing some coins in Eponine's direction.

"What is this for?" she asked.

"A job well done." He replied, Eponine smiled, "but don't expect it again, this is a onetime thing, you work for this family, the roof over your head is your payment to do understand?" Eponine nodded in response as she backed up, not wanting to do anything to disturb her father's mood.

* * *

Eponine headed out the next morning with her newly earned coins in her pockets. The thought of the woman and how much she lost entered her mind for a moment before she pushed it out. She couldn't afford to think like that, and no matter what her father took, they had a business, with customers like the well-dressed man she saw the night before. The woman was still better off than Eponine could ever dream of being. She headed towards the bakers, excited to be able to get something for Gavroche again, it had been so long.

She left with two pastries neatly wrapped in paper and tied up with twine. As she reached the corner she saw the face of the young man from the previous night across the street.

"Was your grandfather happy with the jacket?" She called.

"Yes." The man called back looking up, "and the fight cleared out quite quickly just as you said it would."

"They tend to do that" Eponine replied.

"Marius!" she heard a familiar voice call as Courfeyrac rounded the corner, "I remembered what…Eponine" Courfeyrac exclaimed when he saw Eponine standing across the street. "Not in such a big hurry today?"

"No." she replied back.

Courfeyrac looked at her for a moment surprised by her short response. After a moment he continued, "And I've seen you've met Marius."

"Well not formally." The young man replied.

"Well," Courfeyrac responded, "Marius this is Eponine, Eponine, this is Marius."

* * *

**The End**

**Thanks so much for reading, this is where I planned on ending it, and it seems so weird for me to be done so if you want me to keep writing let me know.**

**I could potentially continue this story to the barricade, or go back and write from Gavroche's point of view. Review or PM me to let me know what you think. **

**And thanks again. **


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